Smile For Me
by kawaii-kirei
Summary: Kai gets beaten up almost everyday by Voltaire, and all he wants is for someone to see. Transfering schools, Kai Hiwatari meets Tyson Granger. [TyKa, yaoi] [COMPLETE]
1. chapter 1

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 1 -**

_Pained whimpers echoed across the halls of the Hiwatari Mansion. A small boy, no older than the age of five, huddled against a corner trembling, fear evident in his eyes crimson eyes as he fought to keep his cries at bay. A loud noise reached his ears from downstairs, and he knew immediately that his grandfather had forced their front door open. He ducked under the blanket, covering his curled form and hoped that his grandfather would be in a good mood today, but considering the noise that told him that his grandfather had broken their door - again - the chances of his grandfather simply walking by his room today was **very** slim._

_"KAI HIWATARI!"_

_Kai shut his eyes closed as the door to his room was forced open as well and Voltaire stomped in and even though Kai couldn't see anything through the blanket, he sensed that Voltaire must be utterly pissed right now._

No... _Kai was already sporting a black and blue cheek, a swollen lip and a broken arm from yesterday's beatings. How much more can a mere five-year-old take?_

Someone... please... help me.

_His silent plea was left unanswered._

* * *

Eleven years had passed and Kai Hiwatari has stopped wishing, stopped hoping all together that someone would see and help him back to his feet and let him live a normal life. He couldn't tell anyone, neither could the maids and the butlers inside the mansion. It didn't matter if Voltaire would been in jail by then. The man has way too many underground allies that even in custody, with just the flick of his wrist, could kill anyone in an instant and still have his hands clean.

Voltaire was powerful and he knew it. Everybody knew it.

Ever since Kai's parents died in a - so as the media says - a car crash when he was 2 years old, Voltaire stepped up. First it was smooth sailing between them, but when Voltaire's company got bankrupt, the man became corrupted and began taking out his anger on his grandson. Kai was simply 5 then. A few months later, the company was back in business and flying sky high but that didn't stop the beatings at all. In fact, it just got worse.

When he turned 7, Voltaire banned him from going out of the mansion lot. Up until the age of 12, Kai learned through various private sessions with various private tutors. None of them knew of the boy's condition. Once, a woman who had stayed for the longest time as his tutor had found herself in a special place in Kai's heart, that the boy even found it within himself to call her **mother**. The woman, Mrs. Granger or so was her name, had two other sons as well, but gladly took care of Kai as if he was her own. She wanted so badly to introduce her sons to Kai, but Kai wasn't allowed to go out, neither was anyone else besides her to go in. It really didn't take long until Mrs. Granger began to ask why Kai always came to their sessions a new broken bone every time. Kai kept quiet. It only took a week for the woman to catch up and she attempted to escape the mansion with Kai.

Failed.

Another week later, she was announced dead by the media and her body was never found.

That ripped Kai apart more than anything in the world. He refused to eat anything for a week and locked himself in his room, simply staring at empty space. Even when Voltaire threw across the room, even when he was sprawled across the floor, the boy didn't move a muscle. Every time, a maid would always sneak into his room when Voltaire was already asleep and carry him into a proper position on his bed.

After a week, his stomach got the best of him and he began eating, but he hardly spoke at all. When he wasn't in his room, he would be out in the gardens, looking at the flowers. Mrs. Granger loved the flowers in their garden.

The beatings became more rougher when he turned 10, almost everyday Voltaire would storm up to his room, and at least once a month, he was sent to the hospital. Turning 12, Voltaire allowed Kai to finally get out of the mansion whenever he wanted, considering that Kai would finally be allowed to walk to school. No drivers.

The maids and the butlers couldn't do anything to prevent Voltaire's abuse, but they did help Kai somehow, lending the boy their make-up to hide the bruises, and buying medicine and ointments with their own money to treat the boy's wounds. Voltaire didn't want Kai buying his own medicine, it'd be a waste of money to simply waste medicine on such a pathetic young boy. That didn't stop them from sneaking medicine into the house.

Anyone would say that it would be a miracle that Kai would still be alive by now, but Kai practically owes his life to the helpers inside the mansion and helpers owed their lives to him.

Whenever Voltaire would throw a fit just because a maid did a small mistake, Kai would step up and talk back, earning him another session of physical abuse. Voltaire never hit one of the maids nor the butlers, and that was all thanks to Kai.

But even then, Kai barely spoke at all and barely came out of his room, only when it was time to go to school.

He didn't talk to his classmates, nor did his classmates speak to him. Even if they were always so curious about the band-aid that never came off his cheek. Even if they did ask, Kai didn't answer.

After a while, Voltaire enrolled Kai into another school.

* * *

"Class, please settle down." Kiresu-sensei rolled her eyes at her class, sighing as a paper ball flew up into the air, followed by a pencil, then a notebook. Kiresu immediately spoke once again before the chair was given a chance to fly, "ALRIGHT! KEEP QUIET, SIT DOWN AND DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE!" The class immediately settled down. Kiresu grinned widely, "Good. Now that I've got your attention, the school is moving your camping trip to next week-"

"WOO HOO!"

"YES!"

"ALRIGHT!"

Kiresu jammed her pen on her desk, almost making a dent as her left eyebrow twitch, "Mister Granger, may I please request of you to stop dancing and get down from your desk."

Tyson Granger grinned and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, sensei. Got a bit excited. About time this school decided to do something good for a change. Phooey." Jumping down from his desk, he sat back down with an _oof_.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you are." The teacher sighed and rubbed her temples, "There was bit of a problem to the original date, so the school decided to hold your camping trip early this year, and well-"

"Kiresu-sensei?"

The class fell silent as the woman's head shot up at the door, all of them looking a bit surprised to find the school secretary at their door, "Yes, Mirato-san?"

Mirato smiled apologetically, "I'm really sorry for barging in like this, but the... uhm... well... the exchange student? You haven't forgotten, have you, Kiresu-sensei?"

At that, Kiresu's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as she slapped her forehead. "Oh, yes! I'm really sorry, Mirato-san. Is he here yet?"

"Uhm... Well, yes." Mirato blushed, motioning to the closed door behind her.

"Well..." Kiresu cleared her throat, "Class, we'll be having a new student today. I take it that you'll make him feel comfortable and at home." The class looked surprised at that. It **really** wasn't every year that you get a new classmate in the middle of the school year, but they all nodded their answers.

Mirato smiled a bit and opened the door, motioning for the boy to step in. A figure stepped inside the classroom and the room was immediately filled with dreamy sighs for the girls part. Spiky two-toned blue hair and crimson eyes. Really eye-catching. His body was in no way well-built, but he was neither skinny nor fat, but his face really made up for it.

Tyson raised an eyebrow at the white plaster on the boy's left cheek. Wounded? Probably just minor. He shrugged it off as the Kiresu smiled warmly at the new student, "Welcome. Would you care introducing yourself to us?"

The boy merely nodded and faced the class, "Kai Hiwatari, age 16. It's a pleasure to meet you."


	2. chapter 2

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 2 -**

Morning classes came and flew and the students cheered as the bell rang, signaling the time for lunch break.

"Hey!" A navy-blue haired boy wearing a blue and red cap (which was not allowed in school, but Tyson **is **Tyson.) practically bounced his way across the room, "Uhm... Kai, right?"

Kai looked at him through his bangs and nodded slightly, feeling a bit nausea at the attention he was getting from all the girls. Giggling and squealing, it made him a bit sick. Tyson grinned and took out his hand, his grin widening as Kai shook it with his own, "I'm Tyson Granger! You eating lunch or what? You haven't made a move to stand up or anything."

_Granger... _Kai shook his head and coughed, _No way. _He stood up and nodded at the person in front of him, "Kai Hiwatari."

"Well, if you want, we could eat lunch together!" Tyson offered, a thoughtful look on his face, "The guys are all absent right now, and one of them are still in computer class. You don't mind, do you?"

Kai raised an eyebrow, but shook his head, "Not at all."

"Hmm..." Tyson looked at him up and down and announced cheerfully, "You're not very talkative, are you? Well, that's fine. I'm not a very good listener anyway." He grinned as he motioned for Kai to follow him, "I have this really cool spot at the back of the school. No one really goes there, so it's a nice place and the flowers are nice, even though this school is crap despite it's high reputation, I kinda like the gardens here. It's probably the only thing I like about this place and well... why are you looking at me like that?"

Kai blinked and shrugged, "You have a big mouth."

Tyson clutched the front of his shirt dramatically and mocked a gasp, "I'm hurt! How cruel! No pity at all for such a poor misguided soul such as I!"

An elbow made contact with the back of his skull after that and the boy turned around to glare at the person behind him, "Hey!"

The group of boys behind him all laughed and poked Tyson by the waist, "Come on, Ty. Don't scare the kid. Admit it, though, you **do **have a big mouth."

Tyson stuck his tongue out at them, "My big mouthnessness has absolutely nothing to do with you. And I am perfectly aware that _mouthnessness _is not a word, but I don't care so nyeh." He grinned and winked at Kai, leaning in and lowering his voice to a whisper, "Don't mind them, they're jerks."

"Hey! We heard that, Granger!"

Tyson ignored them and shrugged, offering a hand to help Kai out of his chair, "Come on, Kai, time's running out. We only have an hour of free time, and though that may seem long, in this school, it's not." He grinned.

Kai looked at the hand in front of him hesitantly, but he took it anyway and stood up, grabbing his notebooks in the process. "I-"

"Yep, I know. We have to stop by our lockers first. Kiresu-sensei doesn't like late comers, but you're an exception, Kai, cause you're just new here. Yah know, I'm kinda jealous. When you're late, you won't have Kiresu-sensei screaming at your ear at the top of her lungs and waving a rather thick ruler in front of your face. Me, unfortunately, is always late so I always get rulers thrown at me every time I pass through the door. Poor me, huh?"

Kai looked at him with an eyebrow raised and shrugged, "You have a **really** big mouth."

"Pfft."

* * *

"Geez, you're not really the talkative type are you? Not very social, too, but don't worry, I have my share of anti-social friends." Tyson grinned as he took a bite out of his rice balls, "Like that Tala guy, you know, the red head in our class, who sits beside Bryan. Both very stoic and stuff, but those two have been best friends ever since kindergarten. Surprising, huh? I can say that we're friends, when we're not insulting each other. Oh, and another one of my friends, Rei Kon, yeah, Chinese dude. He's out right now, in China for a week vacation. I can say that we're pretty close, but even though I added him to my list of anti-social people, he talks a lot when the conversation is nice. He's just too calm for his own good. But Maxie... Hmm, don't even get me started on that guy. He's definitely not anti-social, too hyper. Maybe that's why we get along. He's in America with his mom, for a week also. Man, I just hope that those two make it in time for the camping trip. And Kenny, he's the one who has extra computer class everyday, so you won't see him in lunch break. Man, I tell yah, when it comes to technology, that guy is on the top of the hill. Oh, and speaking of camping trip, are you gonna go? I know you're new and all, but are yah?"

Kai blinked and shook his head, feeling his brain rattling left and right with all the words that was sent to his brain. "I... well..." He trailed off, _ I would, but that bastard of a grandfather doesn't like having his personal punching bag away from him for a whole month. _He snorted inwardly.

"Come on, Kai! It'll be fun! I heard that our batch would be going to Hokkaido or something1, snow and stuff. Good thing, though, cause this heat is driving me crazy! We have our own hotel and our own hot springs, 'cause Kiresu-sensei has good friends. Lucky woman. But the payment's a bit higher than usual since this would be a month, other than the usual two weeks. I already have the money in my house from practically begging my gramps, and I don't think you'd have a problem with it. You look like you have the money, right?"

"Hn." Kai trailed off, _I can buy my own plane if I wanted. The problem is, I won't be able to use it anyway. The bulldog would throw a fit._

"Hey, Kai, why aren't you eating?" Tyson took a sip out of his cola and looked at Kai questioningly,

Kai shrugged, "Forgot my lunch. I hate cafeteria food."

"Hm, good to know that someone agrees with me about the food here. Really icky. Green monsters from the kitchen really doesn't suit me and my stomach, you know what I mean?" Tyson grinned, before reaching down to his bag and pulling out another rice ball, "Here."

Kai looked a bit surprised and he stared at Tyson as if he just grew second head, "W-what?"

"Take it." Tyson shrugged, "Gramps makes a lot of these for me everyday. It's too much for me, so eat up. It's the only thing gramps knows how to cook right." He grinned again,

Reluctantly, Kai raised his hand and took it, mumbling a small token of gratitude. Hiding a small blush, he took a bite out of the food and chewed, "Tastes good." All his life, no one outside the mansion really gave him anything at all. He preferred hiding from society back in his old schools.

"See?" Tyson smiled widely, "Gramps' a bad cook when it comes to other food, but rice balls is his specialty. It's the only thing he knows how to make without setting the kitchen on fire. So unfortunately for me, I get stuck with the cooking, but other than that, Gramps is in charge of take outs though. Pizza's are on the top of the list."

"You live with your..." Kai cringed inwardly, "grandfather?" Unconsciously, his hand reached up to his right cheek, feeling the dry feeling of powder on his hands. Make-up. He vaguely wondered why Tyson still hadn't questioned him about the white plaster on his left cheek, though, but he wasn't complaining.

"Yep!" Tyson nodded cheerfully, completely oblivious to his classmate's inward rage, "My father's out on an archeological thingy, and my older brothers with him. Gramps and I live together under a small dojo. The old man teaches kendo and hates it when I slack off." The boy grinned, his overrated brain coming up with plots to escape the dreaded trainings, "What about your home life, then, Kai?"

"O-oh..." Kai trailed off, "Only child, and living with my grandfather, too."

"Where's your parents then?" Tyson regarded him with a thoughtful look as he took another rice ball out of his bag, throwing Kai one as well.

Kai shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the Sakura tree2 behind him, pointing to the sky with his finger.

Tyson's eyes widened and he immediately began a series of apologies, "Sorry, Kai, I didn't know! I mean, well-"

"Hey." Kai cut him off before his apology got any longer, "I don't care."

Tyson smiled sheepishly, "You know, my mother-"

_RRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGG!_

"What!" Tyson let out a pout as he glared at the school building behind him, completely forgetting what he was supposed to say, "Already time? Aw, man." Sighing, he turned to Kai with chuckle, "Told yah that breaks here are short. Let's get going. We wouldn't want a ruler stuck to our face, now, would we?"

Kai shrugged, but stood up as well. Tyson sighed and crossed his arms behind his head, "I get into trouble a lot in this school, but the principal and I are in good terms. She's a nice person and all, but she loves and sucks at gambling. **I **can even win over her. I mean, no surprise there, since I'm really an amazing person." The boy huffed, laughing hysterically as he rambled on about _ greatness and absolutely amazing skills._

Kai simply kept on shrugging and nodding and shaking his head, but he wondered if it was possible for a person to talk so much in just one day.

* * *

Kai sighed, rubbing his temples as he fought to keep his headache at bay. His grandfather had come home already hours ago, and it was one of these days that Kai got lucky that the old man simply passed by his room. And now, the boy was wondering why the hell is he gonna ruin the man's good mood by barging in his office? _A month without him, Kai. A **month**._

Twitching a bit, he knocked on the door.

* * *

"Well, anyway, Kenny's gotta work at his family's restaurant, so he got off early today. Lucky guy. Oh, where's your house? Mine's this way." He pointed at his right. Kai shrugged and pointed to his left. "Gah. Looks like this is where we go our own ways, huh?" The day had came and flew and the two were now walking from the school building to the gates.

"But what happened to you, though?" Tyson sent him a worried look,

When Kai had come in the classroom early in the morning, his classmates had gawked at him and asked questions, all through which Kai had only answered one excuse, "I fell." Down the stairs, Kai had added. He still had the white plaster on his left cheek and two band-aids on his right. He cringes inwardly whenever he thinks about how much make-up and powder his face was already carrying. He was pale enough as it is. His left arm was bandaged tightly from the elbow to the fingertips and two more band-aids rested on his right arm. Kai was thankful that Voltaire decided to spare his right arm. How was he supposed to write?

"That must have been one heck of a fall." Tyson wondered out loud, "I mean, Kai, look at you! If I were you, I would've just stayed in bed today. You must be hurting all over, man."

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Sighing, Tyson crossed his arms behind his head, "Man, I never saw you as the clumsy type. I really don't believe at that falling excuse, but I won't pressure you, buddy." He threw a small smile at Kai's direction, before running off with a wave and a wide grin, leaving Kai dumbfounded in front of their school, "See you later, Kai! Let's be friends, alright?"

_Friends...? _Kai felt the edge of his lips twitch up, "Yeah... sure."

* * *

1 Is it just me or does this make it look that I'm obsessed with going to Hokkaido or something for those who have read my other stories? o.O Uhm... don't answer that. XD

2 A little dramatization won't hurt. :3


	3. chapter 3

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 3 -**

"Hey, Kai, d'ya have a minute?" Tyson chirped cheerfully as he practically bounced about beside Kai, completely oblivious to the fact that the boy was trying to hard to keep up his pace. "This is the only time of the week Kenny and me get to see each other! I wanna introduce you to him!" He grinned and not waiting for a reply, he took Kai's hand - seeing that Kai's wrist was bandaged - and lightly dragged him through the crowd back to their spot behind the school building.

"Yah know," Tyson started as they ran through the halls, "It's a bit surprising how Kenny and me get to stay close even though his schedule is really, really confusing. He's a year younger than us, so you won't see him in any of our classrooms. We call him chief, though. I dunno, it just came out. Max and Ray's in the next class, so we only see each other when it's lunch break or dismissal. I'm a bit surprised that you don't have a driver, Kai. You look like you could afford one." He grinned, "I mean, this school is a pretty big one and a very known one, too, so it has a bit of a high reputation. Me? I dunno how the hell I got here, but don't tell anyone. The principal's a close friend of my father and one time, when my father was in the house, the principal decided to visit and well, yeah, I challenged her to a bet and I won. So, most probably, that's how I got into this school. I dunno how the principal covered for it, but anyway."

"A bet?" Kai was surprised. He came into this school because of a **bet**?

"Yep. Surprising, huh?" Tyson grinned as he pushed open the doors, "Hey, look, there's Kenny! YO, KENNY!"

Tyson practically dragged Kai towards the tree again, where Kai could see a mass of really messy auburn brown hair.

The boy immediately stood up, and before Tyson could glomp him as he usually does whenever they see each other, the boy suddenly raised his hand and pointed a finger in front of Tyson's nose, "Tyson! You haven't been doing your homework, have you! Kyaaaaaah, I knew it would be bad to leave you all alone! Why oh why did Max and Ray leave at the same time? Your grades are going down! Kiresu-sensei talked to me the other day and said that you've been slacking off again! Do you **know **just how long I had to endure that torture? Hours and hours of her voice! Oh, the horror!" Kenny huffed, burying his face in his hands with a groan, before fishing out a ruler from his pocket, "Here, she asked me to give you this."

Kai raised an eyebrow as Tyson took the ruler with scowl, "And I should smack myself with this because?" Kenny shrugged. Tyson rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, chief, I wanna introduce you to someone! Kai Hiwatari! He's the new student you've heard so much about."

Kenny smiled, "Nice to meet you, Kai. I've heard so much about you." Then he added with a chuckle, "Mostly from the girls."

"See, Kai?" Tyson grinned, slapping Kai from the back, unaware of the slight wince, "Three days and you're already popular! Lemme tell you, Kai, if you're ever gonna live in this school like that, make sure you have arm and knee pads and a helmet made from the hardest metal! The girls would be chasing you all over the campus! Same thing happened with Tala and Bryan when they first came here."

Kenny grinned at the memory, "Whenever it was break time, they mostly hid in the janitor's closet."

Kai wasn't phased. He was used to the crazy-and-obsessed-fangirl-mobs from his other schools. His death glare works perfectly. It was one of his tactics to warning everyone to keep away and shut up.

"Oh, and Kai, are you going to the camping trip? Hokkaido, right?" Kenny sighed, "I wanna go with you guys, but our batch's going to Okinawa."

"Cheer up, Chief!" Tyson grinned before turning to Kai, blinking as the boy fished out a slip of paper from his pocket. Tyson raised an eyebrow before taking it, "Woah, yes! Kai's going!" He was then found bouncing around the garden, whooting for all he was worth. "Heh, the guys are all gonna be there! I wanna introduce you to them! Relax, Kai, they don't bite and oh, be warned about Kiresu-sensei's obsession about beer! You can find her a lot through the halls mumbling about ducks and penguins!" At Kai's bewildered look, Tyson grinned wider, "It's true! Last year, we even had to stop her from leaving the building cause she was aiming to buy ducks!"

Kai twitched, _Ducks... _He shrugged before taking back the slip of paper and pushing it back in his pocket. _Well, it took a lot of convincing and a lot of broken bones, but I managed. _He sighed contentedly, _A month. A month without him. That's about as near as I can get to ultimate freedom._

"You don't talk much, do you?" Kenny asked him, looking a bit amused as the school bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. All in all, he didn't mind that Kai was all but talkative. In this school, you can say that he was used to it. "I haven't heard you say a thing!"

"Don't worry, Chief! Kai's like that! Just give him a little bit of time! Right, Kai?" Tyson chuckled, as to where Kai shrugged.

"I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

"Alright, class." Kiresu-sensei grinned widely in front of the classroom, which had her students inching away, "The trip's only three days away!**/1/ ** I expect all of you to come here before six in the morning-" A few groans at this part, "-and make sure to bring extra clothes, because Hokkaido's not in the north for nothing! I have the last of the reply slips with me, and I hope that everyone's geared up." She sent a warm smile at Kai's direction, "And Mr. Hiwatari, I apologize for the sudden trip after your arrival here at this school, but I am thankful that you decided to join us." She waved the slip of paper that Kai had gave her a few hours ago. It had a paycheck stapled to it.

Kai shrugged and looked away, shifting a bit as the attention was brought to him. Kiresu-sensei continued, "Now, as I have informed you a few days ago, this trip would last for a month instead of the usual two weeks. I've talked to your parents and assured them of your safety, and by safety, I mean you guys would come and leave Hokkaido unscathed without **any **problems." She stated firmly, "That means I don't want to see any of you fighting with your classmates or any of your batch mates. Like last year."

Bryan scoffed at that, despite the teacher didn't look at him.

"Now," Kiresu-sensei cleared her throat, "About Max, I heard from Mrs. Tate that Max would be coming back to Japan tomorrow evening as he would be coming with us to the trip as well."

"Really?" Tyson cheered and pumped his fist in the air, "Woohoo! Maxie's coming back! YES!" A ruler collided with his nose after that. Kai looked at Tyson sympathetically.

Kiresu-sensei glanced at her watch, "Well, it looks like our time is up for the day. Class is dismissed. Have a good weekend everyone."

The class bustled with students standing up and leaving the room after that. Tyson neared Kai with an outstretched hand, "Come on, buddy. Kenny's probably waiting for us at the canteen." Kai stood up and nodded.

"Oh, and Mr. Hiwatari?" Kiresu-sensei stood up and neared the two boys. "May I please speak to you for a while? It'll only take a few minutes."

Kai and Tyson looked at each other before Kai shrugged, before the three walked up to the front of the class, waiting for the room to become empty. After that, Kiresu stood up and locked the door, chuckling at Tyson and Kai's confused expressions. Kai raised an eyebrow before looking a bit surprised as Kiresu fished out a compact powder, Kai wincing as something soft hit his left cheek, right above the white plaster.

Kiresu looked at him disapprovingly, "If you want to hide something, bring extra powder. The purple is beginning to show."

"Woah, Kai! A swollen cheek?" Tyson looked surprised, and - Kai noted with the same amount of surprise - concerned. "I dunno what happened, man, but if I were you, I would have **really **stayed in bed! I mean, I understand if you don't want to be absent in your first school days here, but man, your body must be aching! You sure you're okay, Kai? You don't look okay. Maybe that's why you're so pale. I dunno if it's just lack of sleep or rest or something or maybe it's because of powder or something. How come you never told me? I mean, I know we just met and all, but holy cow! I'm a pretty observant person, though I may not look like it, but man, if you managed to hide something like that from me for three or two days, I salute you! You sure you're okay? I know you're only walking back to your house. Don't tell me you have wounds on your legs, too!"

Kai inched away as Tyson looked as if he was ready to take his pants off, just to see if there were bruises. Kai felt his face heat up.

"Now, Mr. Hiwatari, I don't know what's going on, but please refrain from inflicting yourself any more wounds." Kiresu sighed, before grinning slyly, "Besides, flawless skin should not be wasted. I can't wait to see what you'd look like without those bruises!"

"Ugh, yuck!" Tyson sent her a look, "You nasty, **old** hag."

"OLD?" Kiresu sulked in the corner. The word **old **seemed to have this effect on her.

Kai bit his lip. _I knew I should have asked Nami to put the powder for me. I suck at anything that has to do with make-up, but I was almost late, I was in a hurry._

Kiresu and Tyson glanced at Kai, looking a bit taken aback at the boy's - almost - panicked look. Tyson spoke up, "Hey, Kai, chill. We won't tell anyone. It's just a few bruises right? I know some of us get into fights often, it's nothing to worry about."

_Fights? _Kai blinked, _They think I've been fighting... Fighting for my life, more like it. Well, it's better than them knowing the truth. _"Yeah, thanks." He mumbled under his breath and the two had to strain their ears to hear it,

Kiresu grinned, before unlocking the door, "Well, now that's done and over with, have a nice weekend, you two."

"Hai."

* * *

Tyson stretched his arms up, feeling refreshed after a long, warm bath. He raised the towel to ruffle his hair dry, before putting on his sleeping robe. Yawning a bit, he aimed to lie down on the futon in the middle of the room, before something made him think otherwise. He didn't know what it was, but whatever it is, it didn't want him to sleep just yet.

Leaving the room feeling a bit restless, he walked through the garden of the dojo, coming across a small shrine in the middle of the large pond. Crossing the small bridge, he pushed the sliding door of the shrine to the side and paused, before entering, closing the door as he did so. He knelt in the middle of the shrine, looking up at the picture in front of him.

"Mother..." He furrowed his eyebrows. His mother always told him when he was 12, that she wanted to introduce him to someone. The boy that she was tutoring. She never told him the name, saying that she wanted them to be the one to tell their names to each other.

_"I want you to meet him, Tyson. He's the same age as you, and a nice child. I think you two would get along together perfectly. I wish that you two can finally see each other... You two can be great friends, don't you think so, too, Ty?"_

After hearing so much about this mysterious boy, Tyson found himself curious. He wanted to meet this boy, half for his mother and the other half because he himself wanted to.

The problem was... how was he supposed to meet a person whose name and appearance was unknown to him?

Sighing, Tyson said a small prayer, before smiling at the photograph in front of him, "Good night, mom." He then went to his own room and slept.

* * *

_"There's no use running away, Kai. You won't get anywhere."_

_Kai shut his eyes tight as he bit his lip, drawing enough blood as he attempted to stifle a scream. Something slashed across his back before he felt something push up his stomach, feeling his insides burn. He fell to the floor, crumpling up and throwing what he had for dinner. He coughed, before he was thrown towards the wall, hearing the sound of cement cracking and cursing as he felt something thick drip down the side of his face._

_He barely felt anything for the next minutes but he heard everything. His own screams, the cracking of cement and the sound of the whip that slashed across his skin, giving his milky skin a red mark. He felt a burning pain on his stomach, then at his back before he screamed as he clutched his aching head, feeling an excruciating pain from beneath his skull._

I'm... bleeding...

_Then it was oblivion._

* * *

**/1/ **Hmm... I'm running out of ideas, so please bear with me... ahem, hehe... I had to rush. Three days, remember? Kai transferred on Wednesday, so that makes this Friday. Another three days, which means that the trip would start on Monday. 


	4. chapter 4

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 4 -**

Kai frowned as he gazed out the window of the airport, fingering the gray bandana around his forehead. He winced a bit as he touched a sore spot before letting his hand fall back on his lip. Kai Hiwatari did not like extra accessories, because it made him too conscious, of course, not counting the bandages that seemed to have fallen in love with his skin. Both of his wrists were bandaged as well as his lower left leg, but both were hidden by his pants and a jacket who's sleeves were too long.

Underneath the bandana was the bandages around his head also kept hidden. He groaned, feeling like mummified freak. His face was throbbing so badly. _Two swollen cheeks. Nice going, Kai. How am I supposed to eat then?_

"Yo, Kai!"

Tyson chirped up, spotting the boy quickly as he entered the room. His widened as Kai took his bag from the chair beside him to let him sit. "Sorry if I was late, man, but you gotta admit, you're really early today! Gramps woke me extra early today, and I wanna sleep, damnit! He woke me up at four! Four in the morning! Who the heck wakes up at four! What about you, Kai?" Tyson peered closely at the boy, "You look sickly pale, man. Are you sick? Is it the powder again?"

Kai shrugged, _Voltaire kept me up all night. Bastard. _"Didn't sleep at all." _Plus, I had to leave the mansion by 2 to avoid having any **extra** bandages. _Kai had only simply walked to the airport from the Hiwatari Mansion, taking him 3 hours, including the occasional rests at some gasoline station.

"Excited, huh?" Tyson grinned, bouncing up and down, "Well, me? I'm really, really excited! A whole month with just my friends! I feel kinda sad for leaving gramps all alone in the dojo, but he said that he would just fine. Heh, I do hope that I would still be able to see the dojo standing in one piece when I get back! Oh, and Kenny's not here, cause their flight is tomorrow. Too bad, huh? And you're finally gonna meet Ray and Max! Heh, I'm really geared up now!"

"You better be, Ty!"

Tyson's face brightened, "Max! Ray! Awesome! You guys are actually early today!"

Ray pulled a face, "And **this **is actually coming from a person who practically has the word _late _written on his profile in permanent ink?"

"Aw, Ray, don't be so mean to the guy!" Max grinned,

"Gee, what a warm welcome, guys." Tyson spat sarcastically, a small grin on his face, "Oh, and here's the guy I've been talking to you about!" He patted Kai on the back cheerfully, "Kai Hiwatari!"

Max lifted his arm up for a small wave, chirping up his greeting, "Nice to meet ya, Kai!"

Ray took out his arm, which Kai reluctantly shook. "Pleasure then, Kai. I suppose you already know our names?" He grinned when Kai nodded in reply. "Not too talkative, are you? Well, that's fine. We don't need another Tyson around." He chuckled a bit when Tyson gave him a death glare, which obviously had no effect on the neko-jin.

By now, the airport was practically bustling with teenagers when a voice boomed through the room, _"May the students please proceed to Gate 4. Your plane is waiting by the east side of the field. I repeat, may the students please proceed to Gate 4."_**/1/**

Ray immediately recognized his teacher's voice and laughed. "Fukiko-sensei. She's not a very good announcer."

"Well," Tyson grinned widely, "That's our cue."

* * *

"Alright." Mirato licked her chapped lips wet, as she looked at the list, then at the group of students in front of her, feeling a bit small with the humongous airplane behind her. "By the principal's words, I'll be escorting you personally to Hokkaido. Two sections, forty-eight students over sixty-two. Fourteen students weren't able to come, sadly. Now, please get a partner and arrange yourself in two lines."

"This is the boring part." Tyson rolled his eyes, dragging Kai away by the hand, because he thought that Kai's wrist might have still be sore from last week before both of them stood in line, one beside the other. Kai was thankful for that part, because his death glare didn't seem to have an effect over the girls who were trying to cling to him right now, determined to have him as their partner. Ray and Max paired together and Kai had no choice but to go with Tyson. He wasn't complaining, though.

As Mirato counted off the students, making sure that each of them were present, Kiresu walked down the plane before handing Fukiko a small box. Mirato smiled a bit, "Seeing as everybody's present and I hope that all of you have gone to the restroom already and haven't left anything at all in your house or in the airport," A few groans was heard, completely indicating that some were stupid enough to forget something back at their house, since no one made a move to run back to the airport. "Each pair will draw a piece of paper from this box," Mirato motioned for the box that Fukiko was holding, "And proceed to your assigned seat arrangement inside the plane."

* * *

"Too bad Ray and Max had to sit away from us." Tyson sighed, pouting a bit, "You're a very mean person, Kai. Taking the window seat away like that." He huffed, pouting even more when Kai merely shrugged, "You shrug a lot, you know that? How can your shoulders possibly withstand that torture everyday? Defying gravity every time you shrug." He grinned. Kai shrugged. "Oh and remember what Kiresu-sensei told us yesterday? That she wanted a safe trip and yada yada, and why a few people looked at Bryan?"

Kai now looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Tyson continued, "Well, last year, Bryan got pissed and, well, that guy really has a hot-temper, yah know? So don't even try messing with him, cause he gets full easily. Really hot-headed, but he's a decent guy most of the time whenever Tala's in the room. Bryan's the type of guy that goes into action every time he-"

"Tyson." Kai cut him off, mumbling. "Just continue with the story."

"Oh, right." Tyson grinned sheepishly, "Well, Ray said something about him, I can't remember what, but Bryan got pissed and there was a full-blown fight! Yeah! A kick there and a punch in the gut! Max and I were trying to talk to the guy, but you know Bryan. Well, you probably don't, but anyway. Some of the other boys tried to keep the other away from the other, but the teacher came in and forced the two apart, before asking them what happened. Ray couldn't move properly for a week! Max and I had to help him around, and Ray kept on stopping us whenever Max and I wanted to beat Bryan into a pulp for messing with Ray like that! I tell you, Ray's way too nice for his own good!"

"I HEARD THAT, TYSON!"

Tyson grinned, before sticking his tongue out at Ray, many rows away from him before turning back to Kai, "Well, at least everything was fine after that. Things were cool." Kai nodded, giving out an acknowledging sound to indicate he was listening, despite his head was turned to the window. Tyson fished out his CD player, boredom getting the best of him, and handing out one end of the headphones in Kai's direction "Yo, Kai, care to listen?" Kai shook his head. Tyson shrugged, putting both of the headphones on. "Suit yourself."

Kai gazed out the window, drifting off to thoughts now that there was nothing to distract him. He looked at the other planes outside the window and felt a bit disturbed. _Voltaire don't usually let me off easily. When I get back... I wonder if I should buy some titanium armor or something... Because I'll surely get another one hell of a beating._

"Hey." Kiresu neared them, pushing up a cart and giving them two trays, "The mini-table thingy is attached to the chair in front of you. A few snacks and a few cans of sodas. Don't stand up or anything, call me, Fukiko-sensei or Mirato-sensei if you need to go the bathroom."

Tyson made a face, pulling off his headphones, "Eww, can't we just go to the bathroom **alone**?"

Kiresu twitched, smacking the boy in the head. "Of course you'll go in the bathroom alone, Mr. Granger. Just inform us that you're standing."

"Geez." Tyson rubbed the back of his head, sticking out his tongue as the teacher moved on to the next pair behind them, saying the same thing. He then looked at the food in front of him, before blinking, "McDonalds? Heh, and burgers, too! I thought that they only give out zip-lock peanuts!"

Kai shrugged, muttering. "I thought so, too. Nice plane this school got."

"For once, I actually think highly of this school." Tyson grinned, immediately munching down. "But the plane rides from camping trips years ago was horrible! Dreaded peanuts for hours! A lot of us had stomachaches when we finally stepped off the plane. And the change in atmosphere's didn't help at all. You know, when you're departing and landing, it makes your ears hurt and makes you sick. Man, I had to rush to the nearest restroom just to get the peanuts out of my system." By now, Kai was finally looking at peanuts in a different point of view.**/2/** "Speaking of food, I can't believe that gramps would be eating take-outs for a whole month!" Tyson let out a thoughtful look, "Hopefully Hiro would drop by and help gramps a bit."

"Who?"

"Hiro!" Tyson grinned, "He's my older brother! Yeah, he travels with dad a lot doing archeological stuff, but he occasionally goes back home from time to time for two months. Without dad, of course, 'cause he still has work to do. Anyway, Hiro and I get along just fine, seeing as we work together in escaping the dreaded kendo trainings. Hopefully he'll help gramps a bit, 'cause like I told yah, the old man can't cook 'cept rice balls. And nachos, too. I love gramps' nachos. The annoying thing is that gramps won't tell me how he makes the cheese. Pfft." Tyson huffed, "Oh, and nice bandana, Kai!" He grinned when Kai's cheeks turned red.

"Hn."

_"Please fasten your seat belts as we will depart from land shortly."_

Tyson's face brightened up, "Well, off to Hokkaido we go!"

* * *

**/1/** eheh... I really don't want to name their school, 'cause I suck at names... and gimme a break, the last time I've actually **been **inside an airport was... well... 4 years ago? o.O

**/2/ **all I can say is that I like peanuts. oo bad Tyson. XD


	5. chapter 5

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 5 -**

It was already nighttime in Hokkaido, and the howls of the icy wind slicing through the atmosphere could be heard through the halls of the inn. October was ending and winter was starting to arrive. It really wasn't a good time to spend your trip in Hokkaido. After having landed on the airport, they quickly headed to their stop and walked the rest of the way to the inn, for the building itself was a bit isolated from society. They were all given their respective keys, two people in one room. You were supposed to share your room with your partner, but those who were unfortunate enough to have a person of the opposite sex as their partner were complaining, even as they marched up the stairs.

It couldn't be avoided. All in all, the girls were still lesser than the boys.

"If you don't mind me asking, do you still remember how your parents were like?"

Kai looked at Tyson weirdly at the question, before shrugging, "Not really."

Tyson let out a thoughtful look, "What age were you then? I mean, if you feel uncomfortable with me asking, all you have to do is say so and I'll stop."

"Two." Kai simply replied, "I don't mind."

"You and your grandfather must be really close if you've been living with him all your life, man! I mean, gramps and I are pretty close, too, since he's the only one I can talk to back at home. Dad and I don't really see each other much, and sometimes I even forget how he looks like! Yeah, pretty weird, I know. But Hiro is nice, we get along well and I can say he's also one of the closest people I have in my life, even though we don't get together much. How about you, Kai? Anyone close? Friends? Girlfriends?"

Kai snorted mentally, _Me and Voltaire? Close? **As if**. I'm not interested in dating, and having close friends simply puts **me **in the danger, because if they find out, I can officially consider myself dead. Of course, not counting Tyson or any of the people he just introduced to me in the span of less than week, since we're not really what you can say close. _So, Kai shrugged.

Tyson sighed exasperatedly, "You really gotta talk more! You know, of all the anti-social and stoic person's names that I have planted on my brain, you're the most quiet of them! Though I do appreciate that you listen to me a lot, but doesn't it kinda itch to talk when it's you're always quiet or something?" Kai shrugged. Tyson sighed. "Oh well." He then grinned, "Oh, and Ray? I dunno where exactly his parents are, but his hometown is in China and he's in some isolated village or something who has really cool moves! I've met some of his friends there when they visited him here in Japan. And Max? His dad's living here with him and owns a shop, a real seller and his mom's in America working through computers and stuff. Kenny's parents run a restaurant, I love going there! But his parents sometimes scold me for eating too much, but they mostly joke around." He smiled sheepishly.

"Well, you know my dad, my older brothers, gramps and did I ever tell you about my mother?" Tyson wondered out, as Kai raised an eyebrow at him. "You know, she's always-"

_"Hey, Tyson!"_

Tyson's head shot up at the mention of his name and he, along with Kai, both turned to the door. A series of never-ending knocks followed that one. Tyson huffed, standing up and scratching the back of his head in annoyance, "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

What popped in was Max glomping him. "Yo, Ty! We're going to the hot springs! Care to join us? Woo hoO! You can ask Kai, too! Is he here? Where's Kai? Yo, Kai!"

Ray sighed, and shook his head with an amused expression, carefully pulling Max off Tyson. "Sorry, Tyson, Fukiko-sensei accidentally gave him coke again. We're going to the hot springs, you wanna come? And where's Kai?"

Tyson took in a big gulp of air and immediately ran back to the room, trying to escape Max's dreaded glomp of doom. Panting, he grinned up at Kai, who was blinking at him with a confused expression. "Hey, Kai, wanna go to the hot springs? It'll be really relaxing and all, the guys are gonna be there! I really don't just who's coming, but Max and Ray are. I'm going, too. What about you, Kai? Come on, it'll be nice! Especially after an exhausting day like this! Relax a bit! You up for it?"

Kai immediately shook his head. Tyson pouted, "Aw, come on! It'll be fun! Please, Kai? It's really cold right now, don'tcha wanna warm up a bit?" Kai still shook his head. "Please? Pretty please? Pretty, pretty please with strawberry syrup and a cherry on top?" A few minutes later, Tyson took a small bag from his bed and walked out sulkily. "Meanie."

Kai resisted the urge to smirk as he heard the door close. Sighing, he also got a small pouch from his bag and proceeded to the bathroom, where, a few minutes later, a lot of hisses and muffled screams were heard through the door as Kai tended to his own wounds. He wasn't used to tending to himself and he's not exactly a careful person, so without the bandages, he used to scrape his nails over some of his wounds a lot. Besides, he was usually unconscious whenever the maids cleaned up the bandages and reapplied the ointments. Not to mention that Kai was horrible with make-up. He vaguely wondered if he was gonna survive this trip without anyone finding out.

Not to mention that this was his first time in so many years that he spent a room with someone who absolutely had no idea with what he was going through, despite that fact that they actually think that Kai Hiwatari actually **street fights**.

Yawning a bit, he tightened the new bandages around his forehead, and proceeded to drown his face in face-powder. After adding the last touch, he looked at his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. Yawning a bit more, he rubbed his temples and proceeded to wrap his arms in bandages.

Truth be told, Kai Hiwatari **cringes** whenever the word _bandages_is mentioned.

* * *

Tyson entered the room a few hours after, feeling refreshed and warmed up. He rubbed the towel through his still wet hair and blinked at the slight darkness of the room. The lights were closed, except for the lamp on the nightstand. Smiling a bit, he chuckled at the sight of Kai curled up in his bed, the blanket up to his waist. _He's still wearing a jacket. Maybe I should adjust the room temperature a bit. _And Tyson did just that. After rubbing his hair dry, he placed the towel on the nearby chair's armrest and walked to Kai's bed to take off the jacket.

Blinking a bit, he shook his head amusedly as he stared at Kai's form. _And the bandana, too. He's got a nice sense of fashion, but he doesn't have to dress fancy while sleeping. _As carefully as his not-so-graceful body could manage, Tyson finally took the jacket off Kai's shoulders and was about to pull the sleeves off completely when his eyes widened.

"Kai..."

Rather than only his left arm like the day before, Kai's arms were both bandaged from elbow to fingertips and not like a few days ago that the bandages were clean, some blood seeped through the bandages and became clear for all eyes to see. It was already a horrible sight for Tyson, for someone to suffer so much pain, he wondered what exactly was **under** the bandages.

"Geez, Kai." He murmured, low enough so that Kai wouldn't be disturbed of his sleep. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but I'm convinced now that it's certainly **not **street fighting."

Sighing and scratching the back of his head as he thought of the possibilities of what was wrong with his new found friend, Tyson walked back to the chair and placed the jacket hanging from the backrest. He walked back to Kai and took the bandana off carefully as well, settling it nicely on the nightstand and he was about to go to his bed to sleep, already having changed to his night clothes in the changing room, when he did a double-take.

Tyson practically smacked himself when he saw that Kai's forehead was wrapped with bandages as well, but thankfully, the bandages were clean on this one, because Tyson certainly wouldn't know what to do if he found out that Kai's head was bleeding.

Heaving a sigh, he rubbed his temples and looked at Kai with an amused expression. "Silly." Of course, Tyson knew how secretive a person can be and decided to keep quiet about everything. If Kai realized that his jacket and bandana was gone when he woke up in the morning, Tyson would answer if Kai asked, with no questions included, because just for now, he'll let Kai decide when to tell him when he felt like it.

Slipping under the covers, Tyson snuggled into his own bed and closed the lamp. "Sweet dreams, Kai."

* * *

**EDIT: **okie, my mistake there... hehe... 


	6. chapter 6

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 6 -**

The sun rose up and lit through the velvet curtains, seething through the soft fabric and creating rays of light through the room. One particular figure stirred upon the contact of heat against his skin, and sighed contentedly, shifting positions to a more comfortable one. Fifteen minutes passed and Kai was getting restless, so with a sigh, he pushed himself up and immediately went straight to the bathroom, intent on seeing Tyson's face again when the boy found out that Kai had spent up all of the hot water.

Relaxing his muscles, Kai took a deep breath and relished in the feeling of taking a hot bath in the coldest part of Hokkaido. He rubbed his scars clean, happy to see that some of them were already starting to disappear. He sighed, _ But the next batch would come soon, anyway. _A small tinge of fear flashed across his eyes before he shook his head and fished out the strawberry-scented shampoo. Strawberries are good. No argument there.

Grabbing the soap, he cringed every time the soap brushed across his scars. Not because of physical pain. Definitely not.

Rinsing himself through, he sat up and grabbed the towel, letting the water drain from the tub. After putting on his clothes quickly, he sat down on the bathroom floor for moment, taking his time in gathering his breath. He never liked tending to his own wounds. Scowling at the small white box in his hands, he glared as hard as he could. Nothing happened.

With a dejected sigh, he took the ointments and bandages out of the box and began.

After half an hour of cursing the demented white box, Kai came out of the bathroom looking deeply annoyed and threw the box to his opened bag carelessly. He took his bandana and jacket from the nearby chair, and after fixing up his bed, and adjusting the alarm clock and it's volume to maximum to wake up Tyson for the next hour, he left the room to eat breakfast.

Now why did he have this nagging feeling that he was forgetting something?

* * *

"Hey, Kai, have you ever been to Hokkaido in your whole life?" Tyson crossed his arms beside his head as he looked at Kai through wet bangs. Snow and sweat definitely did not mix. Kai shook his head. "Yeah? Well, me, I went here once a few years ago, but it was only a few days and we stayed in the hotel at the city, so this is a new experience. I mean, we have our own _onsen _in the middle of the forest! How cool is that? But it's colder here than usual, though, but good thing that the place we're staying at has enough hot springs to hold all of us!"

Kai shrugged. Tyson blinked, "Oh yeah, I haven't seen Max and Ray ever since breakfast! I wonder what happened to those two, though. I don't even know if they're in front of us or behind us!"

Thrice a week, Kiresu, Fukiko and Mirato would take turns in taking the batch around the _onsen _for their daily exercise, though the students often wondered why the hell would there be that kind of exercise while they were in one of the coldest regions of Japan. Of course, the walk lasted about an hour and a half, and the students were complaining about it endlessly.

And of course, as Tyson had predicted, Kai didn't say anything at all about the loss of his bandana and jacket in his sleep. It's either that he was avoiding it or the boy just completely forgot. Either way, Tyson didn't speak of it either. It was their fifth day here in Hokkaido and Tyson mostly spent his time with Kai, and Ray and Max didn't mind.

Through the five days, Tyson found out three things about the usual stoic Kai Hiwatari. Kai loves sweets. Kai loves strawberries. Kai uses strawberry shampoo.

Not that Tyson minded though, since he usually found it comforting when the scent of the shampoo filled his nostrils. And Kai had at least two packs of sweet candy stuffed in his bag **and **Kai would always have a daily dose of strawberries from the _onsen's _small cafeteria from downstairs. Thank whoever was watching them that the cafeteria here did not follow the example of their cafeteria back at their school.

Strawberries, huh?

* * *

"Here, Kai." Tyson handed him a mug of hot chocolate and Kai took it gratefully, happy to hold something warm. Sitting in front of the other, Tyson faced the fireplace with small smile of contentment. The fire crackled and colors danced in front of them, as if in a sacred dance.

"Who were you with?" It was murmur, barely heard across the air but Tyson caught it in time, only that he didn't understand the meaning of it.

"Hm?"

"When you went to Hokkaido..." Kai trailed off, his lips barely touching the mug's rims.

"Oh..." Tyson grinned sheepishly, "I was 8, and I went here for a small trip with... my mother."

Unconsciously, Kai's lips clamped down immediately as he heard the last bit. _Granger... Tyson Granger... Mrs. Granger... No... No... NO! It didn't happen. Nothing happened. It wasn't true. Not a coincidence. Not at all. This was simply everyday life. Simply... life... no... no... NO!_

"KAI!"

Kai jumped, eyes widening as his trail of thoughts were abruptly cut off. He turned his head quickly to the side and took a glance at Tyson's worried face before his fingers gave way and the mug fell from his hands to the floor, spilling the rest of it's contents on Kai's shirt. The hot liquid seeped through the fabric of his clothes and it **hurt**.

_Pain... It hurts. It hurts, damnit! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP! Go away! Grandfather, I've been good... I've been good... Make the pain stop... It hurts..._

In Tyson's eyes, he saw Kai's form stiffen before his eyes widened, staring into empty space with a look of fear and panic. He was shaking, his whole form trembling. Tyson felt his heart clench and he felt himself go into panic as well. "Kai? Kai! Kai, what's wrong!" He rushed to the boy's side, setting down his own cup on the floor before gripping Kai's shoulders tightly, "Kai? Kai! Kai!"

A whimper escaped Kai's mouth as the boy continued to shake, staring into the atmosphere as if it was something scary. Tyson bit his lip, shaking Kai's body slightly. He shoved Kai's body against his own, tightening his grip around Kai's form, feeling a few tears fall from his eyes, "Kai! What's wrong?"

_I... I don't know... Ty... Tyson?_

And Kai fell limp with the promise of sleep.

* * *

**KK: **I apologize for the long wait, but I'm in a serious case of writers block so would you mind if I rushed things up a bit? I actually had chapter 6 written up on April 24, but I didn't really like it so I didn't want to post it but then again, I had no more ideas. o.o so... here's the new chapter 6. ehh... I'll go hide now. 


	7. chapter 7

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 7 -**

Kai clamped his lips down together, grinding his teeth as he fought to ignore the throbbing pain at the back of his head. It really wasn't physical, but it was enough to make Kai try to scream for the pain to stop. He sat in his bed, clutching his head, wondering where Tyson was, intent on apologizing to the boy for fainting out like that. Kai himself didn't know what happened, but everything rushed and then all went black. He didn't know what really happened, but it was enough to get him thinking.

The news told him that Mrs. Kinomiya was kidnapped and all that was left at the said crime scene - which was near a riverbank - was her purse. Police believed that her body was washed away. There were a few drops of blood, but nothing else. Years have passed and the case was pushed at the very back of the file cabinet and it has been long forgotten ever since.

Voltaire told him that Mrs. Kinomiya was kidnapped by a person from the woman's workplace, holding a grudge and murdered her, and threw the body away to the ocean.

Kai believed neither of them.

Burying his face against his knees, Kai shut his eyes tight as images flashed through his head. _Voltaire told me that Mrs. Kinomiya wouldn't be coming back anymore... When I asked him why, that's what he told me. But... if I remember correctly... _

* * *

_"Grandfather, why isn't Mrs. Kinomiya coming here anymore?" A 12-year-old Kai tugged at his grandfather's robe as he followed the man out to their gardens. "I heard something on the news... Is she dead?" The last part was rushed, and obviously pained._

_Without sparing his grandson a glance, Voltaire replied in an emotionless voice, "She won't be coming here anymore, Kai."_

_Kai repeated his question with a shaky voice, "Is she dead?"_

_"Yes."_

_"W-why?"_

_"A person murdered her, Kai. Kidnapped her and killed her. Because of a grudge. Do you know what I'm saying?"_

_Kai nodded reluctantly, then asked again, "Yes."_

_"Good, now I don't want to hear anymore issues about that woman inside this estate, you understand?" Voltaire stopped his pace and turned to look at his grandson with a pointed look, "And if I ever see you even **try **to escape, you **know **the consequences."_

_Kai nodded, indicating that he understood, but not really feeling afraid of the threat. A few minutes later, Kai decided that he got everything he needed and turned to head back to the mansion, but not after hearing a brief mutter._

**_"I'd have to talk to Boris about not cleaning the evidence around that blasted woman's death."_**

_Kai shrugged, not really understanding what that statement meant. But why did the name Boris sound so familiar? Oh, right, it was his grandfather's right hand. That statement was meaningless to Kai, but 4 years later, it changed everything._

* * *

"No..." Kai's eyes widened, his left hand clutched the sheets as his right reached up to grab the side of his head, his whole body shaking as the truth dawned on him. At that moment, Tyson walked in, wearing a very tensed and worried look, as he came into the room carrying a tray of food. It seems that Kai had missed dinner. But the food was soon thrown to the floor and the plates broke into pieces as Tyson rushed to Kai's bed, screaming worried statements, shaking Kai's shoulders for all he was worth.

Kai shook, shaking his head from side to side as he willed the reality to disappear, "Voltaire... Boris... Voltaire killed... her." His whole body slumped and his vision then turned black. _"I... killed her."_

"KAI!"

* * *

When Kai woke up, everything was black. He knew he was awake and he knew his eyes were wide open but everything was black. His whole body felt numb and as he remembered clearly, he felt moisture on his cheeks, vaguely wondering why he was crying. _Tyson... Where's Tyson? What would Tyson say? I can't stay here... Tyson... Tyson, where are you? Tyson, I'm sorry. _"Tyson..."

"Kai?" A figure beside him stirred, before there was a sharp intake of breath and Kai then felt hands cupping his cheeks, wiping away the tears and for a minute, Kai felt warm. "Kai, are you crying? Kai, what's wrong? Come on, you can tell me... Kai?"

"Tyson? Are you... there?"

"Kai! Kai, I'm here. Come on, buddy, what's wrong? Kai?"

Tyson watched with a frantic look as Kai's eyes widened, but Kai still saw black. "I... killed... her... Tyson."

Tyson's own eyes widened, "Kai? What are you talking about? Damn, you must really be sick. Hold on, I'll get some -"

"No." Kai shut his eyes tight, clutching on Tyson's sleeve. Feeling Tyson sit back on the bed beside him, he loosened his grip and prepared to sleep. The next thing Tyson heard crushed his whole soul. "I killed..." As the name fell from Kai's lips, Tyson felt his whole body being torn apart. He watched with fear in his eyes as tears fell from Kai's eyes, but Kai was already asleep. Scrambling from the bed, Tyson fell to the floor with a thud.

**_No..._**


	8. chapter 8

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 8 -**

It's been a week ever since Kai had blurted out that little statement, and ever since, Kai hadn't left the room, not speaking to anyone at all, not caring when Kiresu tried to yell at him, not budging even when some of his classmates tried to push him out of the room. For a week, Kai didn't see Tyson, didn't want to see Tyson.

Tyson had stayed with Ray and Max, simply bringing in an extra futon. He refused to sleep in the same room as a _murderer _but he never once answered any question sent to him from his two friends. Ray and Max didn't mind the company, but was still rather confused at the turn of events, but they had the right mind not to butt in.

After Kai had woken up after losing consciousness a week ago, he wasn't surprised to see that he was alone in the room. He spent hours brooding and sleeping, and if he was getting restless, he'd take a long bath to somehow ease his system. The only time he ever spoke to anyone was when he muttered a token of gratitude to whoever brought up his meal to the room. Mostly it was girls who tried to talk to him, asking him what was wrong and stuff like that. Other times it was boys who tried to act all tough and make Kai at least crack up some emotion or something, even it was anger.

When he was alone, and started thinking about everything and nothing, that was the only thing making Kai smile.

Clutching his head, Kai let out a scowl as another headache got to him once again. He walked out of the bathroom and dressed for bed, not even caring that he just slept 17 hours away. Sleeping was his only escape, not even minding the nightmares that came to him about Voltaire, because Tyson hating him was even ** worse**. And truth be told, Kai didn't know why he felt that way.

The lamp flickered off and on, off and on before stopping.

Sighing, Kai walked around the bed to roll the light bulb off. Burning pain seared through his body as his fingers touched the overheating bulb, and Kai felt his body go numb. _No... It's happening again. _Letting out a muffled cry, he fell back, clutching his head as images of Voltaire flashed through the back of his eyes, images of torture, of blood, of pain. Of everything he went through, just to live. _Why...? Every time I get hurt, every little pain I get, I remember **him**._

"Vol...taire..."

The last image he saw was Tyson by the doorway, but the last thought was of his grandfather.

Then it was oblivion.

* * *

Tyson watched as Kai fell, simply stood there as Kai lost consciousness. Not even blinking, he closed the door and stepped in, standing in front of the body. He bit his lip and wiped a stray tear, trying to bring himself to kick the person who killed his mother. Of all people. He couldn't believe that he just befriended a murderer. But he couldn't... He didn't know why, but he couldn't even kick the person in front of him. Biting his lip to bite back a sob, he stepped over the body, then preceded to get his things.

He didn't get it because of the rush to get away. He couldn't take it to even just see Kai's face. Now that he gathered his wits, he was thankful that Kai had fainted. Grabbing his bags, he took one look back at the room before closing the door and walking away, leaving Kai to lie on the floor with nightmares to haunt him for years.

_Kai... I know I should hate you... but... why is hating you so hard for me?_

* * *

Sighing, Mirato balanced the tray on one hand as she rubbed her temples, feeling another headache come up. All week, she's been worried about Kai, trying to sort out what happened to make him so emotionless. _For him to act so shallow... Like he was nothing but a simple vessel, so void of life... _Damn her and her love for poetry.

She finally reached Kai's door and knocked lightly, just in case the boy was sleeping. "Kai? Are you awake?" Hearing no response, she opened the door, knowing full well that the boy didn't lock, except when he was dressing. What greeted her was a sight that almost had her faint.

"KAI!"

Putting the tray of food on the bed as quickly as possible, she felt her whole self panic. She rushed to Kai's side, heaving a sigh of relief to find that the boy was sleeping properly. She patted Kai's cheek lightly, so as to wake the boy up, scrunching her eyebrows a bit to find powder on her palms. She didn't have the chance to ponder on that longer though, for Kai stirred, eyes opening to reveal crimson eyes.

Mirato watched as the boy sat up, rubbing his eyes like a child and a small smile tugged at the woman's lips at the picture. She sighed, sending the boy a worried look, "Kai, are you alright now?"

A confused look passed through Kai's features, before it finally dawned on him and he blinked back at Mirato, before nodding hesitantly.

"Oh, good." Mirato felt herself breath properly then, heaving out a big sigh of relief. "You had me worried there. Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you?"

Kai's lips tightened before he shook his head, standing up in the process, then his eyes landed on the tray. "Thanks for the food." He mumbled under his breath before walking to his bed, sitting down and taking the tray on his lap, starting to eat, ignoring Mirato like he always did to everyone, as if he wasn't found on the floor sleeping at all.

Sure, Mirato could take a hint, she could probably read minds when it came to things like this but there was something really wrong here. Standing up from her position on the floor, she walked to the door and Kai almost thought that she would finally leave, but looked up when Mirato closed the door, but stayed in the room.

Sighing, Mirato took a nearby chair and seated herself beside Kai's bed. "Kai, do you want to talk about it?"

Shrugging, Kai continued eating. When Mirato repeated the question two more times, Kai picked up that the woman wasn't going anywhere without an answer. "I can't."1

Pleased with herself to have finally taken an answer out of the boy, she asked again, "Why?"

"Just because."

"I'm only trying to help. You're really worrying me... I mean, I've never had a student like you before, and I'm not pretty sure how to handle this, but I want to help you not as my student, but as a person. Can you at least give me the opportunity to help you?"

Putting his spoon back on the tray, he looked at Mirato with an emotionless expression, "You won't be able to do anything, anyway."

Furrowing her eyebrows, she tried again, "Then would telling me everything help? I'm not trying to be nosy or anything... I just thought that maybe it would lighten your mood up a bit..."

"Thank you..." Kai smiled a bit, happy to know that at least someone cared for him, even just a little bit. "But this is serious. I'm sorry."

Mirato sighed, before giving Kai a small smile of her own, "Very well, but if you need someone to talk to, remember that I'm not just your teacher, I can be your friend too." She smiled wider, before leaning in to give Kai a kiss on the forehead, before leaving the room with a wave.

Kai sat in the same position, stunned, before he touched his forehead as tears made their way to the front of his eyes once again. Putting away the food to avoid from getting soaked, he curled up in bed and cried himself to sleep.

_Why does it have to be this way? Tyson..._

* * *

_Notes: Alright, please forgive me that Mirato had a big part in this chapter, but I needed something to get Kai burst. So yeah, the plot thickens from here on out. :3_


	9. chapter 9

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 9 -**

Kai cursed and cursed as he looked at the empty tubes in his hands and back at the mirror at his battered face. _Shit... _His right cheek was still swollen and he still had that cut on his left cheek. Not to mention that the side of his forehead was black and blue. Nope, absolutely no way. He wasn't gonna go out looking like that. He grabbed for his bag, searching for a small plastic container, opening it and cursing all humanity as he found it empty. No ointment, no powder, just heaps and heaps of bandages. _Fuck. _Oh, wait, scratch that. There were no more bandages either.

_I should have known. _Sighing, Kai leaned against the bathroom door, sliding down with a scowl. It was good news that those heaps of **training ** were done now and they were allowed to go into the city - of course, with their cell phones intact - so that Kai could buy more medicine, but the problem was, how was Kai gonna go out looking like **this**? _Oh, the cruelty of life._

He glared at the tube, squeezing it in an effort to get more ointment but all that came out was a teensy bit of sticky fluid. _Yuck_. He cursed himself for being too cynical to even notice that he was running out of medicine. Plus, he didn't want to admit it, but he knew at the back of his mind that he was scared to actually go out. If he felt even the slightest bit of physical pain, he'd most likely spasm and faint again... And fainting in the snow is not a good thing. He couldn't ask anyone to buy it for him because they'd keep on asking questions and Kai wasn't the type to be all buddy buddy to other people, asking for favors and whatnot. What to do now?

Sighing, Kai threw the tube in his bag and left the room, knowing full well that no one was in it to see his condition. Grabbing his jacket and his bandana, he idly wondered if anyone would notice that he finally got out of his room. He put them on and grabbed a handkerchief in the process, putting it over his mouth. He growled at the door, wanting it over and done. Turning the knob without even the slightest bit of hesitation, he yanked it open and closed it shut. He scowled and fastened his pace down the hall, but a certain navy-haired boy filled his view and he felt his brain freeze. _Damnit, Kai, wake up. _ And he did. He ignored Tyson's downcast eyes and walked past him, silently praying that the boy wouldn't see his face clearly.

"Hiwatari."

His whole body froze. But he didn't turn back. He couldn't risk it. Then it sunk in and he felt his lips turn into a sarcastic smile underneath his fingers against the piece of cloth. _We're back in last names now, huh?_

"Why?"

_Why? **Why? **_Kai Hiwatari didn't know **why**. Or **how**, even. All he knew that his Grandfather did it, and they shared the same blood. Kai Hiwatari killed Tyson's mother and it was a fact that now haunted Kai's every waking hour. Even then, he couldn't bring his grandfather in the situation. He was a coward, he could admit to himself that. He knew that if he bought Voltaire in, Voltaire would suspect him and might even **kill **him without the slightest bit of hesitation. If not, then Voltaire would kill Tyson. No, Kai couldn't risk that. _Never._

So he replied. "I don't know."

That earned him a punch. He didn't know how Tyson did it or why he didn't see the boy move, but he just knew there was something pulsing in his jaw. It was pulsing way too much, it **hurt**. Kai's eyes widened as he felt his mind drift away. _Not again..._

His whole body went limp. Pain. Pain. Too much pain. Images of blood, torture flashed across his mind. Whips, knives, scissors. Scars. He saw Voltaire's sadistic smile, saw his sadistic sneer. And Kai, once again, felt afraid. His heart hurt, and his whole body was cold. He remembered every time Voltaire would come home with a mad expression and burst into his room and start kicking him for all he was worth. He remembered that dark room. Yes, the torture room. He remembered every scream, every scar, every drop of blood. He remembered every shadow, every voice, taunting him of his weakness and how he succumbed easily to pain and tears.

Most of all, **Tyson** punched him.

It did double damage. He remembered the time when Mrs. Kinomiya would ** laugh** with him, smile at him, talk to him, or just simply be there for him. Then he remembered the time when they tried to escape and the time when he opened the television and he felt his whole body cry out as he remembered the tearing pain he felt when he heard of her death. The news made it so **simple**, like it didn't matter. To him, it mattered. **A lot. **And it probably mattered to Tyson even more than to him.

_Tyson... Tyson... I'm sorry... Tyson? Where are you? Tyson..._

He curled up in instinct, grabbing to his head with a strangled scream, his handkerchief somewhere meters away from him. He clutched at his hair as more images popped up, and the voices seemed to get louder and louder until Kai thought that he was about to go deaf. "No..." He muttered under his breath, "No... I'm not weak..." He gave out another muffled cry as the voices doubled. "No... NO! Tyson... Tyson..." He felt tears down his cheeks and he cursed himself once again for his weakness. **Why? _Why does it hurt so much?_**

Tyson's eyes widened as he watched Kai's curled up form, worry crawling up to his chest in an instant. He meant for Kai to get **hurt**, but he never expected such a reaction like **this**. "Kai? Kai!" What more, when he saw Kai's face, what was supposed to be Kai's beautiful face, it made his blood turn cold. _Kai?_

He grabbed onto Kai's shoulders, shaking him frantically. "Oh my god, Kai! I'm sorry! Kai, what's happening? Kai, I'm sorry! KAI!"

"Tyson... Tyson..." Kai repeated the name over and over, sticking it to his brain to make the voices go away. "Make them go away..."

Tyson felt his heart break at how Kai sounded. He sounded so lost, so ** broken**. "Kai, what's wrong?" He knew that it wasn't just because of his punch. No, he knew that it wasn't the reason behind everything. He didn't know why. Kai Hiwatari killed his mother. Then... why? _Why can't I hate you? Why can't I just leave you crying like this? Why can't I...?_

"Tyson..." Kai grabbed at his shirt, blinking his tears away and looked at Tyson with tearful eyes, sorrowful eyes begging for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Tyson... I couldn't..." Then the blackness came back. And Kai welcomed it, feeling relieved to be able to escape from the cruelty of reality. Then he whispered, his voice so low but Tyson managed to hear him. "I couldn't stop him..."

_Stop who?_

* * *

When Kai woke up, the first thing he felt was cold pressure on his cheek. He blinked his eyes open, ushering the blurriness away. He saw Tyson, face buried in his arms while a hand pressed the ice pack to his cheek. And for a moment, Kai felt warm. If just for a moment, he was thankful because he hadn't felt like that in such a long time. "Tyson?" He winced at how cracked his voice sounded, and how he finally realized just how painful his throat was.

"Huh?" Tyson bolted upwards before his eyes widened, "Kai! You're awake! Damnit, Kai, you had me worried there!"

"Wha -- why're you here?" Kai choked out, gulping numerous times to get the dryness out of his throat.

"What?" Tyson smiled weakly, repositioning the ice pack, "You think that I'd just leave you there looking like that?"

"Well..." Kai blinked, "Yes." It was the truth.

Tyson looked away, a sad look in his features. "Sorry..."

"What're you sorry about?" Kai looked away as well, an annoyed look on his face. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

"But..." Tyson sighed, "I don't know the whole story, do I?" He fixed a determined look on Kai's face, "Tell me everything. You at least owe me that."

Kai turned to him. _I can't. Can't you see that? _He couldn't bring Voltaire in the conversation. He **couldn't**. "I killed Mrs. Kinomiya. What more explanation do you **need**?"

"A lot." Tyson's determined look stayed and Kai winced at the fact that Tyson was pushing the ice pack against his cheek harder, "Why did you do it? And what's your connection with mother anyway?"

"It doesn't concern you." Kai spat. It broke his heart to have this argument, but he didn't know why fighting with Tyson was giving him this kind of reaction. He fought with a lot of people before, but never like this. Maybe it's because of the topic of the conversation? He didn't know. "I killed her. That's all I'll say to you. Go to the police or whatever, I'm not running. I'll stay here in Hokkaido for as long as you want, for as long as it's needed for the police to arrest me."

"Damnit, Kai!" In all his fury, Tyson closed his eyes shut and raised his arm holding the ice pack and bought it down, smacking Kai's face with all of his strength left.

He opened his eyes, hoping to feel triumph to at least have hit Kai Hiwatari, Kai Hiwatari who he was supposed to **hate**, **despite**, **abhor** but he couldn't. But triumph was the last thing he felt. He opened his eyes and felt horrified at himself, as he looked at Kai's terrified expression, looked at Kai's scared eyes. Kai had stood up and scrambled away from Tyson, falling on the floor in the process, adding additional pain. He crawled away, back against the wall and he then found out he was shirtless, his scars exposed for Tyson to see, but Tyson could have already seen it when he took Kai's shirt off in the first place, but that was the last on the boy's mind right now.

Tyson Granger stood in front of him, but as he relished in the feeling of his throbbing cheek and the feeling of thick liquid rolling the side of his face, he saw Voltaire. With the same sadistic smile and piercing eyes.

Tyson took a step forward, trying to reach out but his whole body froze when Kai spoke, _"Don't..."_

Kai shut his eyes, hugging his knees to his chest, tears rolling once again on his cheeks as his felt his mind wander again. He didn't care if Tyson was the one in front of him. In his mind, he saw Voltaire. He heard every laugh, every mocking insult. "Don't touch me! Don't come any closer!"

_"Or what, Kai? Hm? Gonna run away? Who're you going to run to, huh? There's no one out there for you, Kai. You can't escape from me."_

"GO AWAY!"

And Tyson watched as Kai screamed, feeling his heart clench at the pathetic sight, feeling his own tears prick at the back of his eyes as he gazed at Kai's shaking form. He watched as Kai screamed the last of his voice, watched as Kai cried and hugged himself, watched as Kai fell and watched as Kai lost consciousness.

_Kai..._

* * *

When Kai awoke for the third time that day**1**, he was in no way feeling refreshed. What more, he found himself in the bathtub with nothing on and with hands roaming all over his body. He felt his cheeks flush and he moved to get out the tub, but a hand pushed him back down. He glared at Tyson, that blush still on his face, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Giving you you're bath, obviously." Tyson rolled his eyes, with no anxiousness at all, before unplugging the tub and opening the shower, rinsing Kai from all the soap.

Kai stayed still, glaring at empty space, "And may I ask, pray tell, **why?**"

"Because you reek and I think it'd be better if you took a bath before you sleep so you'd feel refreshed for the night. You know..." Tyson trailed off slightly, "With everything happening and stuff."

"Oh." Kai didn't speak, even when Tyson hauled him out of the bathroom and began throwing him some clothes.

"I think you can dress yourself, right?" He grinned when Kai colored and coughed, before locking himself back in the bathroom with the clothes in hand.

When he heard a click, Tyson sighed and plopped back at what was supposed to be his bed until he... found out. _I'm supposed to be mad at him. Angry, pissed off, hate him with all my soul, but why am I not like that? _His lips tightened as he remembered looking at Kai's body, gazing at all the scars and at the swollen patches of skin. Then the wounds on his legs and... Tyson felt his face heat up and he shook his head quickly, ridding himself of... thoughts.

He was pretty sure that Kai didn't hurt himself... Sure, Kai was withdrawn and stuff, but Kai wasn't like that. No one hurt themselves **that** much. He sighed, closing his eyes. _What the heck is wrong with him anyway? And the person that Kai mention... Just who the heck is **him**?_

He was bolted out of his thoughts when Kai came out of the bathroom, fully clothed and rubbing his face dry with the towel. Tyson waited until Kai was done, but he scowled when Kai seemed not to want to part with the fluffy towel. He rolled his eyes, "Come on, Kai, it's not like I haven't seen your face yet." He grinned when Kai blushed and pouted for a moment before his face returned back to the emotionless facade as before.

"Hn."

Tyson smirked, "Hmm... Haven't heard that one for a long time."

Kai ignored that, and looked away, towel in his lap. "What are you still doing here?"

"What do you think?" Tyson sighed, standing up and sitting down in the same bed as Kai. "I want explanations now and I'm not leaving this room without them."

"Fine." Kai breathed out._ Would lies work? _"What kind of explanations?"

Tyson grinned, happy to have finally gotten a positive answer, "Everything."

* * *

**1 **Now, let's be logical. Kai woke up that morning to start a new day, then he woke again because he fainted in the hall way, **then** he woke up again because he went crazy after Tyson hit him with the ice pack... -sweat drop- Now that I think about it, that must've hurt... Sorry, Kai-kun! XD 


	10. chapter 10

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 10 -**

The sky was dark and starless, dark clouds covering up the moon's light. People retreated from the harsh winds, scurrying through the streets quickly as the cold settled on quickly. Snow fell from the sky slowly, but tonight was specially cold for two boys.

"First things first." Tyson took a deep breath, giving a sharp look towards Kai. "What's your relation with mother?"

"I..." Kai raised an eyebrow, _No need for lies for this one. _"She was... She was tutoring me." Tyson's eyes widened. Kai didn't notice. "Up until the age of 12, I had various private tutors. She was the last person to tutor me before I actually went to school."

_Come to think of it... _Kai felt something grip his heart as he remembered, _She... wanted me to meet her son... The same age as me. She told me that if I ever meet her son, we should be close friends..._

Tyson shook, one hand going up to clutch at his head unconsciously while the other stayed rigid on his lap. One question plagued his mind, the one question that made him feeling even more miserable. _Is it **him**?_

_"I want you to meet him, Tyson. He's the same age as you, and a nice child. I think you two would get along together perfectly. I wish that you two can finally see each other... You two can be great friends, don't you think so, too, Ty?"_

Tyson opened his mouth to speak, but as he did so, loud knocks came from the door.

**"Kai? I know you're in there, Kai. Open the door."**

Kai's eyes widened at the voice, his whole body automatically stiffening. He hadn't heard that voice in a long time, but still he recognized it. If they... Eyes widening even further and panic gripping his whole body, Kai stood up quickly, grabbing Tyson's upper arm.

"Wha-- hey!"

Kai hissed a small and rushed response, dragging Tyson to the balcony. "**Don't move**. Don't talk, don't do anything that would make other people recognize you. Stay here and don't do anything no matter what you hear." His voice almost made Tyson scared. Then reality hit him like a brick and he opened his mouth to retort an insult but Kai had already closed the glass door and shut the curtains as well, leaving Tyson in the balcony.

Scowling, angry at being ignored like that, he was about to scream when a loud bang reached his ears.

_"BORIS!"_

Tyson blinked, hearing Kai's muffled voice. _Who? _And that bang sounded like wood being torn apart. He neared the glass window and leaned his ear against it, striving to hear more of the conversation. He peeked through the small curtains, silently muttering about purple wigs.

_"Kai, so we meet again. It's been two years since I last saw your face."_

_"What are you doing here!"_

_"My, your grandfather has just sent me here to fetch you. No need for sour words. Looks like you'll be ending your **vacation** quite early."_

_"Shut the crap, Boris. Why did father send you here?"_

Tyson felt a shiver down his spine as he heard the muffled laugh of the man. Peeking even harder, he blinked once he saw Kai shaking. Rubbing his palms together, he tried to get some more heat through his body. He wondered briefly why no one took notice of the broken door. He looked at his watch and frowned. 3 o'clock. Time sure flies.

_"You remember Mrs. Granger, don't you?"_

Tyson's head shot up.

_"Y... yes... what about her?"_

_"Your grandfather found out that her son is in this trip as well... It seems that you finally found out the truth, my dear Kai. What are you going to do about it?"_

Tyson watched as Kai attempted to punch the man, only to have him pushed aside and crash against the wall. Boris sneered and kicked Kai's shaking body, before stepping on Kai's chest ruthlessly, digging it deeper. Kai cried out and tried to raise his arm but found that he couldn't. Whenever he was in a situation like this, he never could. To him, he was taught that trying to escape was not an option. All his life, that was his rule. Because the beatings stopped quickly if he didn't resist. So now, it became instinct not to move. And Kai cursed himself over and over again for it.

"K --!" Tyson remembered Kai's voice as he warned Tyson not to do anything. Hands turned into fists as Tyson bit his lip, watching the scene with growing anger.

Kai spat out blood and saliva, his vision turning blurry. _"You... killed her... didn't you?"_

Tyson shook even harder with every word that was said.

Boris kicked Kai's head and watched as Kai rolled until his back hit the glass doors harshly, but not enough to break the glass. Kai smirked, feeling a familiar pain clutching at his chest. Now it even hurt to breathe.

Tyson watched with a trembling lip as Kai looked at him through the small portion the curtain wasn't covering. Then Kai looked back at Boris swiftly. _ "Because... grandfather asked you to. You killed Mrs. Kinomiya. That's the truth, isn't it!"_

Tyson felt his throat tigthen.

_"Yes, Kai. I killed her under your grandfather's order. She was corrupting you. Teaching you life and all that lies. She had to die. It was her mistake that led to her death. She tried to take you away from us, what more could we do?" _Boris sneered and laughed as Kai glared at him with utmost hate, _ "Yes, Kai, hate all you want. Hate is what you should feed on, live on. Your very being is supposed to hate."_

And Tyson watched as more kicks went towards Kai's way. He watched and simply stood there, trembling. Not because of the cold, because of... _I'm not... I'm not gonna stand and watch. I've already watched too many times already... Just watched... **Never again.**_

And Tyson slid the glass doors open, ran through the curtains and gave Boris the hardest punch he could manage.

* * *

**KK: **Was supposed to post this a few days ago but the site was being an ass and won't let me log in. XD Okay, short chapter, but chapter 11's already done and written. Would probably post it tomorrow or the day after. Thanks to everyone who made it this far! -hugs- 


	11. chapter 11

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 11 -**

Kai was more than horrified when he saw a blur of blue, and despite his inability to see clearly, he knew that it could only be one person. _NO! _ He saw how Tyson punched Boris and also saw how Boris fell on the floor with a thud, sputtering and tripping over his own words. And Kai panicked.

"Tyson, don't!"

He caught Tyson's arms and held tight and ignored the look of anger and confusion in Tyson's face, ignored the tears that were gathering in the corner of the boy's eyes, but hugged Tyson's shaking body against his own, holding on tightly because he knew what would happen if he let go. He took a step back, dragging Tyson with him, taking extra caution as Boris started to stand.

"My, my, what an excellent punch we have there..." Boris wiped his mouth and coughed, "And you are? Mr. Tyson Granger, perhaps?" He raised a foot.

"Don't you fucking touch him!"

Boris frowned, his lips settling in a thin line. "My, my... Kai, there is no need for such words." He sneered and took out a whip behind his cloak, "But for such impudence, Master Voltaire himself told me to take care of you for him."

At the sight of the whip, Tyson's eyes widened, but his eyes grew in horror when Kai turned both of them, still hugging him fiercely. He tried to scream but nothing came out, but he cried endlessly when the whip flew up and slashed through the air, landing on Kai's back with a sickening sound.

"KAI!"

Tyson clutched at Kai's shirt, noting with horror that Kai's grip on him kept on tightening and tightening after every slash. _Kai... _He very nearly screamed when blood sputtered out of Kai's mouth and landed on his clothes. "KAI!" The ruthless laugh of Boris deafened when Kai hugged him even tighter, whispering words to him through a cracked voice.

"Tyson..." Kai hissed through the pain, smiling sadly against Tyson's hair. "This is the least that I can do for you... I'm sorry. I wish we could have became friends... Just like what your mother wanted..."

Tyson cried, hugging Kai back but not circling his arms around Kai's waist for Kai's arms stopped him from moving so. He clutched at Kai's shirt almost desperately. "Kai, Kai, no, no, we are friends. That's right, Kai, we'll be friends forever. So, please... Please..." He looked through Kai's hair and gazed at Boris desperately, "PLEASE STOP! Can't you see Kai's in pain! This is too much! STOP IT!"

Boris laughed, "Pain! **Pain! **I'm surprised our dear Kai hasn't told you anything yet." He smirked, "But then again, this boy was taught not to." He stopped the whip, laughing at Kai's pathetic display, and looked directly at Tyson's eyes, "This boy had taken a lot more than just a mere simple whip! This is just normal for him! Wait until you see what **real** torture is for this boy!" And the whip once again flew up and flew down, repeating over and over again.

Kai clutched at Tyson's shaking body tightly, and whispered, his voice cracking, "Tyson, thank you... But for now, please don't do anything..." Kai's voice wavered, "You don't know what things they are capable of doing. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if they did something to you... That's what I promised your mother... I said that I'll protect you... I will..."

_"I'll... I'll protect him, then! If I meet him, I'll protect him! Because that's what friends do, ne?"_

_A smile. A sincere, gentle smile. "That's right, Kai. I'm sure he'll protect you, too."_

More blood and the whip didn't cease. Kai's whole body shook violently, coughing blood out, throat burning. Then with one last muffled scream, Kai slumped and fell into oblivion.

"KAI!"

Boris sneered, "Looks like it's only between the two of us now, Mr. Tyson Granger."

Tyson whimpered, closing his eyes tight, his arms now free to move so he wrapped them around Kai's waist, hugging Kai's slumped body against his, desperately trying to crawl away. He never felt more scared in his entire life. He wasn't scared for himself. He was scared for Kai.

Then when he finally thought that the whip was going to descend once again, Boris gave a curled scream and fell on the floor, unconscious, revealing a woman with her arms up high with a chair clutched in both hands, whole body shaking as she set the chair back down on the floor, heaving a relieved and shaky sigh as she pushed her glasses up her nose higher.

Tyson shook, grateful and relieved, "Fukiko-sensei..."

Two boys entered the room and both were horrified at the scene that greeted them, both rushing quickly to Tyson's side. "Tyson! Kai! What happened! What the -- What happened to Kai!"

"Ray... Max..." Tyson smiled, tears now falling freely of unsuppressed relief, "Thank heavens..." And he fainted from exhaustion.

"TYSON!"

* * *

When Tyson woke, he was greeted by two very relieved faces.

"Tyson, you gave us quite a scare back then!" Max sighed, letting out a deep breath as he leaned back in his chair beside Tyson's bed. "Man, fainting like that almost scared the hell outta me."

Tyson groaned as he felt a headache coming on. Then realization hit him like a brick and he sat up quickly, head darting from side to side frantically, "Where's Kai!"

"Relax." Ray chuckled at Tyson's reaction, pointing to the other bed in the room. "He's still asleep. Don't worry, he's fine. We fixed up his wounds on his back, and now, all he needs is rest."

"That's..." Tyson frowned, suddenly feeling like crying again as he looked at Kai's sleeping form. "Good, then. Where's Fukiko-sensei? I... have to thank her."

"You're welcome, Tyson." Fukiko entered the room with a nervous smile on her face, tray in hand. "I thought you might wake up soon so I bought breakfast."

"Huh? What time is it?" Tyson blinked.

"8 AM, Ty." Ray answered, looking at the wall clock.

Tyson nodded dumbly and mumbled a word of thanks when Fukiko gave him the tray. Suddenly, he didn't feel like eating now. Max sighed, "Not hungry, Ty? That's new." He grinned weakly, "But I'd be like that, too if I were in your shoes, I guess."

Fukiko sighed, pushing her glasses up once again, still shaking from the earlier events as she grabbed a chair and sat down. "I'm sorry, Tyson that we didn't manage to get in early." She rubbed her temples slowly, beads of sweat trickling down her face despite the cold temperature. "We were all asleep then... I was assigned on night patrol and caught Ray and Max trying to sneak out of their room. Said that they were hearing some funny noises, so we went to check it out..."

Tyson's eyes widened, "Where's --!"

"That man?" Max finished for him,

"Max and I used Fukiko-sensei's room and some rope we found at the storage room. Tied him nice and easy and locked him in the closet. He still hasn't woken up yet, I think..." Ray sighed,

"Have you guys slept yet?"

Fukiko smiled a bit, "How can we? You all got us worried..." She sighed, "No one's awake yet, and we thought that we should wait until Mirato-sensei and Kiresu-sensei woke up... Besides, I think I hit that man harder than I intended..." She stood up, "I'll go get some more ointments and buy some herbal medicine for Kai's back. We have to get his back treated immediately." She smiled, "Take care of yourselves by then. If not, wake up Kiresu-sensei or Mirato-sensei quickly."

The three of them nodded dumbly.

Max sighed when the door closed with a click, "Go back to sleep, Ty. It must be pretty tiring, huh?"

"Yeah..." He mumbled thank you when Ray took the tray from his lap and settled back in the covers, immediately rolling to his side. His last image before sleep overtook him was Kai's sleeping figure.

* * *

When Tyson woke up again, the clock read five thirty. He sat up, still feeling dizzy and instinctively looked at the side at Kai's bed. His eyes grew wide in panic when he saw that the bed was empty. He scrambled from bed and called out pathetically, "Kai?"

The bathroom door opened, and Tyson heaved a sigh of relief when a person emerged from the bathroom. Kai stepped out wearing nothing but pajama pants with a towel brushing through his hair. He raised his head, blinked when Tyson walked to him and was simply speechless when Tyson reached out and hugged him, "T-Tyson?"

Tyson hugged him even closer, a few tears falling and Tyson cursed himself for his tears. "Kai... Don't ever do that again to me..." He ran a hand through Kai's back, emitting a small hiss from the taller boy. Tyson cried even harder, "Kai... you didn't... you didn't have to... I never asked you to..."

Kai smiled a bit, hugging Tyson back. "It was the least I could do for you... After... everything."

Tyson hiccupped, pulling back and blushing a bit, "I'm sorry, Kai..."

Kai shook his head slowly to show that it was nothing, before his eyes darted to the table next to the television and he blinked when he saw a basket of tubes of medicinal stuff. Tyson followed his gaze and smiled a bit, "Fukiko-sensei must have put it there while we were sleeping." He looked back at Kai and at the scars on his body, "Want me to put it for you?"

Kai colored but nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, sure, thanks."

* * *

"What are you thinking about?"

"Huh -- ah!" Kai arched with a hiss when Tyson applied ointment on one of his scars on his back, "Nothing much... I was just wondering about Boris. Ray and Max told me what they did to him when I first woke up."

"Oh..." Tyson frowned at the mere thought of the man, "I can't believe he could do that to you! That was so harsh! Are you sure you're alright now, Kai?" Kai nodded. Tyson applied more ointment and Kai hissed. Tyson grinned a bit, "You don't sound alright."

Kai smiled a bit, "I guess." Then he paused, "You want to know everything?"

Tyson was taken aback. He blinked, before putting a hand on Kai's shoulder comfortingly. "Sure."


	12. chapter 12

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 12 -**

"You know Boris, right?"

Tyson nodded, blinking a bit at the first bit. "Yeah, that guy," His teeth clenched together momentarily, "with the hideous purple wig."

Kai snorted at the reply, "Yeah. Remember the name Voltaire he said?"

Tyson nodded dumbly again. "Yeah, and come to think of it, he kept on saying about your grandfather and blah blah and --" His eyes opened wide and suddenly he felt stupid for not realizing it earlier, "Voltaire's your grandfather? I mean, Voltaire **Hiwatari**! He's like the richest man around!"

Kai nodded, not surprised at the reaction. "Yeah, and he's the most ruthless murderer around, too."

Tyson paled and numbed, falling back on the bed limply. "He killed my mother?"

Kai looked away, feeling ashamed even though he did nothing. That was it. He was ashamed because he did **nothing**. "Boris killed under Voltaire's order."

Tyson clenched his fist, "But why the hell would he do that! And to my mother of all people! My mother was..." He felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes and he shut them tight to prevent any from leaking out.

And Kai felt something tight grip his heart. He didn't know why he felt hurt, because somehow, he felt as if a part of that statement, a part of that anger was directed to him. Sighing, he laughed mentally, already having expected it. He then wondered how he would explain without making Mrs. Kinomiya sound like the bad guy and without telling Tyson the truth about... well, the condition of his body. Tyson said he wanted to know everything about the murder. Kai promised to tell him. His wounds weren't supposed to be included. "Your mother found out about Voltaire's plans and stuff and decided the help me escape... Voltaire caught up to us and told her she was fired from being my tutor... I dunno what happened then, but a week later, I saw the news. They paid someone from Mrs. Kinomiya's workplace to admit that he was the one that killed her... then paid the ransom as well a month later so that person could go free. That was the deal."

Tyson gritted his teeth. "Those bastards."

Again. Something painful gripped him again. Kai ignored it, "I really don't know much actually. I only gathered the pieces when you, well, when you first told me about your mother." He sighed, rubbing his temples a bit, "I couldn't accept it when I first saw you, with the same last name and some similarities... but I guess I kinda forgot about it in the end, until I heard that your mother and my tutor were the same person."

"Oh." Tyson fell back, fists still clenched. The medicine left forgotten. "But... how come!" He let out a strangled growl, "My mother never did anything... As far as I know, she never did anything wrong. Why did they..." He sighed, taking a few deep breaths. "I can't believe it."

Kai felt like crying. But of course, he'd never cry openly. He didn't know why he felt that way, but it felt as if Tyson hated **him**, not them. He felt as if those words were disguised towards his way. He didn't know why, he just did. It **hurt** feeling as if that Tyson hated **him**. _Get a grip, Kai. Of course ha hates you. Damnit._

Tyson took a shuddery breath, resisting the urge to go to the other room and go into a ramping rage and tear Boris apart limb from limb. He tried to stop his body shaking from anger and got at least a bit successful, "Is that all?"

Kai nodded. "Yes." He then rubbed his temples again, feeling another headache coming on. "Go to sleep." He looked back, careful not too look at Tyson's face and spotted the tube of ointment, quickly grabbing it and straightening up, biting his lip to conceal the hiss of pain as he felt the familiar sting. He walked around the bed, entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him carelessly, before falling on the floor with a suppressed sob.

And Tyson gritted his teeth in anger as he rolled the things he just heard in his head. He stood up with a scowl and retreated under the covers, unaware of the silent sobs coming from the bathroom.

* * *

Back in the bathroom, Kai stood up, wiping his face with a dry towel, feeling disgusted with himself. _Kai doesn't **cry**. _He reminded himself. Sighing, he looked at his reflection on the mirror and grimaced. _I look awful. _Slumping his shoulders in defeat, he threw closed the ointment and threw it back in his bag, already feeling lazy to apply more to some of his unattended wounds. He searched for a nice, comfortable, clean shirt in his bag and was surprised when he felt a small box.

_I didn't put any boxes here. _His lips tightened in wonder as he took the box out, blinking at the plain white wrapper. He opened it and was a bit taken a back to find that it was powder, with a small paper taped to it.

_We kinda like your face, Kai. Take care of it for us, will ya?  
-Ray&Max_

He chuckled a bit, silently thanking them. They must have probably bought it when they were allowed to go out in the city. And Kiresu must have informed them of Kai's powder **obsession**. He snorted. Looking back at his reflection, he sighed and applied powder to his face before slipping into an oversized shirt and retreating back to bed.

* * *

Kai sighed, rubbing the towel across his hair in an effort to get it dry. He yawned, feeling a bit restless. He didn't get to sleep that much yesterday, and his headache seemed to go into maximum. Tablets didn't help nor did a nice long shower. He stared into space, a small sense of fear throbbing behind his ribcage.

_Voltaire should be here soon._

* * *

Tyson stopped glaring at his breakfast to look at Kai, face immediately contorting into a confused one. The boy returned back into his emotionless self, much like how he was when Tyson first met him at school. And Tyson felt irked.

But, he sighed tiredly, now was not the time to be angry about **that**. "Kai?"

The boy looked up almost immediately, "Hm?"

"What does Voltaire," Tyson almost **spat** the name out, "do anyway? Come to think of it, all I know is that he's rich."

"He owns a company. Technology, computers and stuff." Kai replied, almost ** feeling** the hatred emitting from Tyson, "But the reason why he's rich is because he's famous in the black market. He's got a lot of underground subordinates. You don't want to mess with him, Tyson."

Tyson blew up. He didn't if it was because of Voltaire or because Kai sounded so... indifferent today when talking to him. "And **what? **What the hell should I do? Just stand there and apologize to my mother every freaking chance I get that I'm sorry that I couldn't avenge her death?"

"If it helps, you can kill me."

"I -- what?" Tyson blinked, immediately feeling his anger disappearing as soon as his brain registered that statement. "Why the hell would I want to kill you? Kai, what's your problem? You've been acting really weird today!"

Kai just simply took a sip out of his water before biting his lip, "I have his blood, don't I? Don't go near Voltaire, Tyson, under **any ** circumstances. You don't know what he can do to you." He gave Tyson a stern look which left Tyson a bit taken aback. Clutching the sheets under him a bit, Kai sighed and proceeded eating his breakfast. "If you really want to avenge your mother's death so much, kill me. You only need one head to feel at ease, ri --" He didn't know when or how Tyson suddenly appeared next to him, all he knew that his cheek **hurt**.

"What the fuck are you saying! Why the hell would I kill you? Kai! There's no way I'll kill you! I'll never forgive myself!"

Kai blinked, before his expression softened. "Tyson." Then the pain registered and all that Kai saw from then on was red. _Not again._

Those same images again, every time, every _fucking_ time. It hurt, all those memories, it hurt. He wished that he could just sleep, leave everything away and dream of some happy ending that he knew he would never have if he woke up. He wanted the pain to stop. **_Make it stop._**

And as he clutched his head once again, he screamed because he felt his whole being was being torn apart.

Tyson's breath hitched as he felt panic once again all over his body, seeing Kai all scrunched up with pain. "Kai? Kai! I'm sorry! Aw, man, did I hit you too hard!" He grabbed Kai's shoulders, shaking the boy back and forth, whereas Kai simply rolled his head limply.

"Tyson..."

Tyson stopped, looking at Kai with an apologetic and concerned expression, "Kai! Hey, Kai, stay with me, man." Kai smiled brokenly, despite those images flashing through his head. He felt disgusted with himself.

"Do you..." Then he lost consciousness. "Really hate me so much, Tyson?"

* * *

**- don't read this part if you're too caught up with the angst because i'm feeling hyper right now and i wouldn't wanna ruin your mood -**

**KK**: oooh, yeah... when I read **MikeyWaysgirl**'s review, I felt a little stupid for myself cause I forgot to explain about Boris' little visit last chapter. XD Ah, well, y'see, Voltaire and Boris both know that Kai doesn't make much noise at all so they thought it was safe to beat him up there. They knew that Kai's roommate was Tyson, but never thought that Tyson would be hidden in the balcony at Boris' arrival. So... yeah... and the walls were soundproof so when Kai and Boris was talking, it was still a bit muffled even though the door was open. And if you look back, **Tyson** was the one who was noisy. -sweat drop- And if I explain more, I'd probably be giving you guys a lot of spoilers. -hides-

Whee! -glomptacklehug- We reached one hundred! We reached one hundred! -goes off to dance like an idiot- And yep, **1nfid3lity **got the 100th review! XD -glomps you- And once again, thanks to everyone who's been reading! I couldn't have made this far without you! (omg, this speech sounds so lame. XD) Wahh, I love you, guys! -heart-

And... I used too many **bold** in this chapter, don't you think? Yes, crappy chapter, I know, but I'm hungry... Didn't eat dinner. I can't write much when I'm hungry. It always comes out like crap. XD So... I'm stopping here for now. Will write immediately after meh stomach is happy again. XDDD Again, thank you!

goes off to find something to eat-

(yes, I know, I'm such a sad excuse for an author. XD)


	13. chapter 13

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 13 -**

When Kai woke up after fainting for the umpteenth time ever since he came on this trip, he was having the worse head ache ever. _Why am I **not** surprised? _Not only that, Kai was kicking himself repeatedly mentally for those words that slipped out of his mouth before he fainted. To make matters worse, Tyson was sat in a chair next to his bed with his head in his arms on the side of the bed, sleeping peacefully as Kai lay rigidly, too afraid to move.

Kai bit his lip, _I need to get out of here. _He couldn't face Tyson. He just **couldn't**. Yeah, Kai does run away. And he couldn't believe that he was gonan run away from **Tyson**.

But at least, Kai reasoned, no one can call him a coward. By leaving, he was gonna give himself and Tyson a favor. He had to go away before Voltaire finds him with Tyson. And if Voltaire finds Tyson, Kai would never forgive himself. Besides, Kai supposed that Tyson already had everything he needed. Slowly raising an arm, Kai rubbed his temples, feeling his headache worsen. He looked down at Tyson, letting out a small broken smile. Tyson looked so peaceful now.

Feeling guilty for bringing the pain to Tyson's life, Kai bit his knuckle to prevent a whimper for coming loose. He sighed, slowly taking away the covers off his body, then with painful awareness, Kai managed to get off the bed without waking the other occupant of the room. Smiling slightly in Tyson's way, Kai retreated to the bathroom and prepared his things.

* * *

Kai sighed, running his fingers through wet strands before slipping on his jacket and his bandana. Applying the last bit of make-up on his face, Kai grabbed his bag and opened the door.

"KAI!"

And Kai blinked. He saw a fist running straight at him. He shut his eyes tight in instinct, preparing himself for the impact but it never came. Slightly dreading the next to come, he blinked both eyes open, only to blink once again as he noticed the fist had stopped just in front of his face.

Biting his lip, Tyson looked away as he took his fist back. "I'm not stupid. You have a problem with pain, don't you, Kai?"

Kai let out the breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Did I wake you up?"

"Kinda." Tyson shrugged, before finally bringing himself to look at Kai, "You're not leaving that easily, Kai."

"I have to." Kai said simply, shrugging it off. He tried to walk past Tyson, only to be stopped with a hand grabbing his arm.

"Why?"

"Voltaire will come here soon to look for me. If he sees you, he'll kill you. It's better I go back early. I'm taking Boris with me." Kai forced out, trying to get his arm back half-heartedly.

But Tyson held on. "Then let Voltaire or whatever his name is come. I won't let you leave until you've told me everything."

Kai cursed and spun around, "I **did **tell you everything! What more do you --"

Tyson slapped him. And Kai once again fell on the floor, curling up and clutching his head. Tyson smiled weakly, kneeling down and holding Kai's figure close to him. "I want to know everything, Kai. This included."

"You..." Kai cried out, clutching at Tyson's shirt desperately, "Why?" He looked so forlorn, so lost that it almost broke Tyson's heart.

"Because..." The boy trailed off, "Because I care for you..."

Kai snorted weakly, "I killed -"

"No, you didn't." Tyson stated firmly, tightening the hold he had around Kai's body. "Voltaire may be your grandfather, but you're different." Tyson choked, "I don't know but..." He smiled a bit, not knowing why he was crying. ** Why **was he crying? "You're different."

"You..." And Kai broke down, crying for all he was worth and clutching Tyson closer to him. Anything, anything at all, Kai wouldn't mind enduring just as long as Tyson was here. **Tyson is here.** "You don't know..." He looked up, giving the other a grateful smile, "Just how you made me happy."

And he welcomed the darkness the engulfed him soon after.

_"I don't hate you, Kai."_

* * *

Finally coming to his senses, the first thing Kai felt was warmth. For the first time in a long time, Kai felt warm. He felt sort of... happy. And he panicked. He opened his eyes quickly, looking around to look at where he was. Taking a deep breath, he realized that he was still in the hotel room with -

"Had a nice sleep?"

Kai's cheeks instantly colored, "Wha - what are you -- !"

Tyson chuckled, his cheeks carrying a small tint of red as well, "When I let you down on the bed a few hours ago, you wouldn't let go of me. So I slept beside you. When I woke up a few minutes ago, you still wouldn't let me go so I'm still here."

"I, well, I'm..." Kai burned, immediately sitting up and immediately regretting it. "Ow..."

"Don't overdo yourself, man." Tyson laughed a bit,

Kai blushed even more when he remember what happened **before** he fainted, "So... you don't hate me?" He murmured, too low that Tyson had to strain his ears to hear it.

Tyson smiled a bit, "How could I hate you?"

"Because -"

"I don't know either." Tyson admitted, "I knew I should hate you, I **wanted** to hate you but... I couldn't."

Kai looked at him with a stunned expression and silence reigned for the next minutes, before murmuring something once again under his breath. "Thanks."

* * *

It's been hours pass midnight yet Kai and Tyson couldn't find the willingness to sleep. They talked about everything, yet nothing at all. Then there came the times of awkward silence, where both would just sit in their corner quietly, both thinking about the same things without even knowing it. Then it came. There were a few muffled screams, before faint thuds followed soon after.

Before any had a chance to react, there a knock.

A simple knock. It was actually _gentle_. Not a demanding one, just a faint knock on the door. That's all. And it made Kai's skin crawl.

Tyson looked at Kai with a nervous look, and resolved to stand up, but Kai quickly did that for him and strolled through the room in a fast pace, stiffly walking up to the door. He paused, hand poised to turn the knob. There was a knock again, just as light as the last one. And Kai twisted his wrist slightly. The lock clicked open.

And Kai took a few steps back, making sure to be far from the door and halfway near Tyson. The door creaked open and a figure curtly stepped in with a stern look.

"Kai."

Kai swallowed a lump, "Voltaire."

* * *

**KK: **TToTT sorry for being late! I rewrote this chapter twice! T.T I'll try to put the next chapter up as soon as possible! But for now... I'm going to sleep.-sweatdrop- Thanks for reviewing, minna:3 -glomp- 


	14. Chapter 14

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 14 -**

"Kai..." Voltaire cooed, enjoying the sickening sight of blood and sweat in front of him, "You should know better than to run away from me." He snapped, and flicked his wrist, obviously enjoying the scream that reached his ears. "I'll try to forgive you, my dear grandson," He sneered, "Or better yet, I'll try not to hurt that little Tyson of yours... if you promise not to run away from me again."

Kai didn't reply. He couldn't reply. He was on the verge of losing consciousness and hanging from the air was not very pleasant. When Voltaire slashed the whip again against his back, the sentence finally registered in his mind, and he thought of every possible death threat to throw towards his grandfather, but of course, fell silent. "...Yes."

Voltaire sneered, "Good."

* * *

_"Tyson... I'm sure the two of you will definitely be the best of friends one day!"_

Tyson awoke with a start, yawning and stretching all over the bed. He opened his mouth widely to release another yawn, before rubbing his stomach nonchalantly. Where was he again? Oh, right... In Hokkaido... but... _Shit... _Tyson bolted upright into a standing position, head immediately darting from one side to the other, feeling a sickening feeling well in his stomach as he realized that he was definitely not in Hokkaido.

And he knew exactly where he was.

He was right back in his bedroom in Tokyo.

And that man, who just slid the dojo door open and hauled Tyson over to eat breakfast, was his grandfather. "Gra-gramps! Wh-where... I mean... wh-why the hell am I here? I'm supposed to be in Hokkaido! With the rest of my classmates! And Kai! And... oh no, Voltaire! Grandpa!"

He was rudely cut off when a spoonful of rice was shoved squarely in his mouth, effectively muffling any other words and effectively almost choking the poor boy. Gramps tsked, "Come on, Tyson! We haven't seen each other in weeks and yah greet me by blowing up on your gramps like that! Not nice, T-bone, not nice!"

"But!"

"Oh yeah, and an old guy with a purple wig or something... I can't remember that pal's name... hmm... Barry, I think... Or something of ta' sort... was ta' one that carried yah back here! Come to think of it, your gramps here haven't had the chance to say a lil' thank you to da guy! He just handed your poor fainted body, T-bone, to meh and just left! Said that you shouldn't worry about stuff and whatnot... Come to think of it, he was mumbling and rubbing his head all the time, like he had a lump on that poor nut of his! And -"

"GRANDPA!" Tyson bellowed, "Where is that man? Where did he go? I mean... Where's Kai?"

Gramps shrugged and ate slower, "Said he needed ta' go back to that Voltaire guy... Voltaire Hiwatari, me'thinks. I dunno, mah man, ask ta' wall. Kai? Kai Hiwatari? BAH! Heard he was ta' grandson of that rich guy... Dunno the details, Tyson mah man! SIT! And eat! And -" Gramps blinked when a blur of blue, red and yellow zoomed pass him, and he didn't even hid the smile that appeared on his lips when he heard the sound of running footsteps disappearing away.

_Kai, huh?_

* * *

After an hour and a half of running under the winter sun, Tyson finally stopped, panting and sweating and gasping for breath. He stood up properly, trying to breathe in and out in a normal way, as he clutched the front of his shirt desperately. And as he looked up the huge mansion in front of him, he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"KAI!"

* * *

**KK: **omfg... YES! FREEDOM! This is the first time I got the time to write ever since June. -cries- I'm so happy right now. XD And I do hope all the readers will forgive me for the uberuber late update! I tried to write, but with all the homeworks, all my ideas turn crappy when I convert them into words... And I am also sorry if this chapter is crappy and does not make up for the time that I made you all wait, but I do hope that this will be enough until I get another period of time to write chapter 15. Hope you all forgive me. -sweatdrop-

I've been itching to write... ANYTHING... and now I finally got to write! -is happy- :3 once again, thank you to all reviewers and please do bear with me! I'll try to keep up! Thank you!


	15. chapter 15

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 15 -**

_"Tyson..."_

"KAI!"

Tyson pushed through with full force, desperately pushing his body forward, despite the tugs. He kicked and screamed and punched anything that stood in his way, too determined to feel the tiredness starting to build up. He scowled, kicking violently as something held two of his arms, and another even dared to step in front of him. He fell to the floor with a broken nose. Tyson gritted his teeth, trying to get rid of the grip holding his arms back. He was hanging up with his feet barely reaching the floor, that he was forced to stand on his tip-toes. He swayed his feet to the side, and was rewarded with a strangled yell of pain as he hit something below the belt. He did the same with the other and rushed past before the others could get to him.

He crashed through the door and cursed to find another hallway. At least there were no guards. He turned back, and closed the door, before locking it, then getting a nearby chair before placing the top of the chair under the doorknob. He took several more objects - anything at all that he could find - before placing them all beside the chair, above the chair or what-not. Anything to block the door.

He panted, gripping his knees so hard that his knuckles turned white. He took a deep breath before straightening up and observing the hall. There were several doors - almost too many of them. If one of them had a guard... _Then shit. _Tyson didn't care now. "Kai? Kai!" He opened door to door, not finding anything at all. He was already beyond frustration that he couldn't even feel frustrated. He took in another deep breath and opened the last door.

Nothing.

He cursed, before punching the wall beside the doorway. _Damn it. _He sighed, before coming in the room with a heavy heart. He was about to sit on one of the chairs, when a certain picture frame caught his eye. He felt his heart swell.

_Mom..._

He remembered his mother's young face, remembered the smile she always had on her face, remembered her flowing hair, and remembered her eyes. Tyson's own eyes softened as he gazed at the child beside his mother. _Kai... I'll... _He bit his lip, before storming outside the room once again. _I'll definitely get you out of here!_

* * *

A maid sobbed, cleaning around the room, trying to wash away the blood on the floor. She didn't dare look up at Kai's body, feeling that she would only cry even more if she did so. She wanted to help him, stop the bleeding, beat Voltaire into a bloody pulp, but she was only a lithe woman at her early twenties. And so she cried.

And at Voltaire's commands, left the room in search of another clean mop.

Once the maid had left completely, Voltaire skimmed his eyes through all of Kai's wounds. He'd even gone easy on the boy, he thought dryly. The wounds were not deep, almost scratches even. "Well, it looks like that you're little friend has managed to go deeper in the mansion, Kai." He commented, "Quite a remarkable child, I must say. It would be a waste to get rid of him, really. But..." His eyes gleamed, "He's made you into a bad boy, now hasn't he? Of course we have to get rid of him."

_Tyson..._

A few rooms away, a shrill scream echoed through the hallway, disappearing slowly, before it became a faint hum, then nothing.

* * *

"Ohww..." Tyson grumbled, rubbing his sore bottom with a wince. He cursed in all of the languages he knew, before looking up into the hole he just fell in. _What a freaky mansion. _He wanted to rant on and on about how he hated his mansion, but still, he couldn't bring himself to even think those negative thoughts, because he knew that still, somehow, this was where Kai grew up.

Something clicked.

Tyson scrambled to his feet hastily, albeit a bit clumsily, searching the room for anything out of the ordinary. He tried to calm down his panicking heart, but the fear was still there. He took a step back, biting his lip and forcing himself to breathe evenly. And then, a door opened. "Who's there?"

"Mister... Granger?" A voice hesitantly called out.

Tyson blinked at the soft voice, recognizing immediately that it came from a woman. "What... do you want?" He tried to keep his voice with an edge in case that the person was an enemy, but ended up failing. He was barely able to conceal his surprise when the woman jumped out of the shadows, pulling both of them to the ground, and threw her arms around him, sobbing.

"Please save Kai!"

* * *

**KK: **omg, please forgive meh for this. It's not long, really, but it took me... three days? And I know, the story's getting a bit bloody, but I'm trying to keep the descriptions to a minimum. -sweat drops- awwgeez, I feel like I'm over-reacting with Kai's wounds and stuff, so I'll lessen that as well. :3 Now, now, who do you think is the woman, ne? XD Well, 'til the next chapter! And I'm sorry again for the late updates. It's my laziness kicking in. Buuuuttt! I won't give up on this story! -squeak- 


	16. chapter 16

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 16 -**

Tyson blinked, still laying motionless on the ground with the woman on top of him, still sobbing on to his shirt. He didn't mind that his shirt was already clinging to his skin, sticky threads on his stomach, but he **did **mind that the woman looked like she wasn't coming off him anytime soon. "Uhm... Lady?"

The woman sniffled, before hastily scurrying off Tyson, offering her hand to help the boy up. She took her apron and wiped her eyes with it, whimpering like a litte child. "Please... Kai-sama's already been through too much."

"Kai... sama?" Tyson blinked,

"Yes." The woman hiccupped, "I'm a maid in this household." She took deep breaths, "My-my name is Nami. I've heard a lot about you from Kai-sama before Kai-sama left for Hokkaido. When I," She hiccupped yet again, "Heard that an intruder had managed to come in the mansion, I immediately ran to the camera room, and saw you."

* * *

_Nami ran through the halls, pushing away the guards that stood in her way. She ignored the curses that was thrown her way as she pushed through the crowd. Her bright auburn hair flew everywhere, into the guards' face as well, earning her more cussing. Then, after a few deep breaths and painful heartbeats later, she pushed the door to the camera room, bursting to the room, barely taking notice of the surprised looks the security staff threw at her._

_After seeing that it was just a maid, they relaxed a bit, even as Nami walked numbly towards the screens, never taking her eyes off the lone boy that was currently held up by the collar by a man three times his size._

_"Let me go!" She heard the boy say, and she watched as the boy kicked, hitting something just below the belt. The man holding him let out a muffled cry, and opened his hands, the boy's collar falling away from his grip. The boy then scrambled to stand, then with all the strength he had, punched the man on the face. "WHERE'S KAI!"_

_But of course, the boy never got his answer as more guards entered the hallway, and with a curse, the boy stood up and ran away._

_A few more scenes passed and finally, the boy had already reached another hallway, the one with too many doorways._

_After that, Nami immediately left._

* * *

"After that, I had to talk to you." She cried out, "I was the one that sent you here, and I'm deeply sorry if the fall had hurt you somewhat. I had to take you to place where there were no surveillance cameras. Mister Granger, please." She whispered, "Please save Kai-sama."

Tyson bit his lip, giving out a weak smile, "Hahah... Lady, I'm here now and I won't leave without Kai." He softly replied. It was a promise to Nami, to Kai and to himself.

"Thank you! Good Lord, thank you!" Nami broke down once again, but she laughed a bit as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Kai-sama has suffered enough. We've all wanted to help him, but his grandfather holds too much authority. But now we agreed that we wanted Kai-sama's freedom. Please, Mister Granger, please stop Voltaire for the meantime." Her lip quivered as she remembered the scene back a few hours ago, as she cleaned around and mopped while Kai's motionless body hung by his hands in the middle. "I've seen Kai-sama's condition right now. We --"

"You have?" Tyson blurted, hope flaring in his heart. "Where is he? Where's Kai?"

"Basement --"

"Thank you!" Tyson leapt up, towards the door when something hit him. "Uhm... How do I get to the basement?"

Nami laughed softly, before hitting a small button on the wall, and a part of the wall slid up and revealed a passageway. "Please be careful, Mister Granger."

"Thank you!" Tyson yelled out his gratitude, already finding the joy in him to grin. He'll save Kai no matter what. No matter what. "Oh... and just call me Tyson."

* * *

Voltaire crossed his arms in front of him as he sneered at Kai's pathetic figure. "You're an idiot, Kai. I knew it was a mistake to have sent in that childish trip to the north. And now look here. That little Tyson of yours have corrupted you. My, my, what shall we do with you?"

Kai snorted, "Kill me?"

"Then what's the fun in that?" Voltaire laughed, "It would be too much of a pity to kill you now."

"You won't get away with this, you know." Kai hissed,

"You have been telling me that since you were seven, my dear Kai." His grandfather told him smugly, "And I haven't seen any sign of that little statement of yours coming true."

"Tyson -"

"Tyson Granger is a useless and a brainless child. He can't stop me."

"He's not!" Kai screamed, "Tyson... He may not look like it, but he's a smart person. He'll stop you somehow. He'll stop you for killing his mother."

"I don't know how you found out, Kai, but I could care less if that boy knew who murdered his mother. It's not like anyone would believe him anyway. His mother's case have been over a long time ago. I spent every second of my time back then hiding every last bit of evidence. The police already investigated on it, and see what they find? A car accident! An everyday car accident! The perfect crime scene." Voltaire laughed, echoing through the room and suddenly Kai felt sick.

"Bastard." The word rolled off his tongue with enough venom to melt gold.

"Enough." Voltaire's lips thinned, "I'm afraid we've had enough chit-chat." He took hold of his whip, and shifted his wrist, the whip cracking through thin air. He raised his arm, wrist poised and whip ready to strike. The whip descended, and Kai closed his eyes, preparing himself for the pain... but the pain never reached him.

All he heard was Voltaire's loud yelp, and the sound of a body falling on hard pavement. He blinked, opening his eyes, before looking at the figure on the floor. Voltaire clutched his head, aggravated beyond belief. On the side of his face was a perfectly shaped dent of a shoe. Kai blinked slowly, seeing a rubber shoe near Voltaire's body.

Wait... Didn't that shoe belong to --

"KAI!"

"Tyson..."

* * *

**KK: **omg, I have to thank ** Totally-Out-Of-It** for the 'let's see how bad we can hurt Kai without him dying on us' quote. XD It really made me laugh for a good reason. :3 I'm sorry if I happen to emphasize it a little bit too much, but I can't help it. -sweat drop- And thanks again for reviewing:D And to **edhel-tarien**... YES, I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING TO MAKE THAT LADY TYSON'S MOM. XDDDDD Butttt... I figured I would have to have a very logical reason to explain that, and I found out that I had a very little brain to fish up an explanation and so... yeah. o.o

and... if anyone have any tips to give me on how to write this fic, please do tell me so, because I don't know if I'm writing it in a fine way and on a fine pace. Because... I'm not exactly happen with Kai's condition and how I'm writing this fic now, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

And yeah, sorry again if this chapter was short and this author's note was long. XD I barely stole time to write this, but I gotta sleep now. :3 school tomorrow... which sucks. :p okay... I'll shut up now. Thanks to everyone again for reviewing! -hugs-


	17. chapter 17

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 17 -**

Voltaire cursed loudly, gritting his teeth as he rubbed the side of his face, feeling it ache under his fingers. He glared at the intruder before him. For a while, they both stared at each other with equal rage, seething with anger that was aching to be released. Kai watched silently, trying to fumble with the locks and chains around his wrists, feeling his arms straining already.

And finally, the chain cracked, unable to hold his weight any longer.

Voltaire and Tyson lunged at each other.

* * *

Back in Hokkaido, Ray and Max were having a bit of a problem themselves.

"What do you **mean** we can't go back to Tokyo?" Max stomped his foot angrily, "Tyson and Kai are in trouble! You know that! And we **can't** even do anything to help them?"

Kiresu narrowed her eyes at her student's behavior, "We are currently in a school activity. We are also currently miles away from Tokyo, do you not know that? I know we have to help but we don't really have a grasp at this situation and for all we know, they're already safe by now! I've already sent a message to the principal, Mr. Kon and Mr. Tate. They'll take over for now."

"For all we know," Ray took a deep breath in, rubbing his temples in an effort to keep calm. "They could already be screaming for help when we're here talking about pointless things! Look, the only thing the school will do is call the police and do you not know just **who ** Voltaire Hiwatari is? He's a rich man, specializing in business and in manipulation. Also meaning he has rich friends with the same traits. People will do anything for money! You may not care, but Tyson and Kai are our friends. Whether or not they need help, we're going." He grabbed Max by the arm and started to drag him away, "We're going to Tokyo."

Kiresu opened her mouth to object, but paused. She sighed and wondered why again she ever became a teacher instead of a military officer. Bossing people in the military would have been more easy than bossing these teenagers around.

* * *

"Uhm.." Max stared at Ray with a small grin, "You **do **know that that conversation there was pointless?"

"Yes."

"Oh... and... uhm... What exactly did you say to Kiresu-sensei?"

"I have no idea."

"...Okay. How are we going to go to Tokyo?"

"No clue."

"Hm."

* * *

Time seemed to stop for all of them as Tyson and Voltaire stared at each through the crook of Kai's neck. Only then did Tyson's mind came back to him as his brain registered Kai's arms around him. He fell to the floor as well once Kai crumpled down and he simply held Kai's body in shock. "K... Kai?" Just then did he also realize that Voltaire had been holding the same whip in his hand all the time. He reached around Kai's figure to hug him back, but only received a hiss of pain in return.

"Tyson..." Kai gasped out, "There's... something..." But his words fell to nothing as Voltaire once again deliberately slashed at his back with panic.

"What..?" Tyson jumped, before narrowing his eyes at Voltaire, "Stop that!"

Voltaire laughed, a manic laugh and suddenly, Tyson felt like he was talking to a deranged man. "Tyson Granger! It's your fault, isn't it? It's your fault! It's your fault my grandson is like this! It's you... and that bitch of a mother of yours! Your fault! YOUR FAULT!" Then, the man suddenly felt his neck being forcefully craned to the side.

He fell back, holding his cheek in shock. A boy just punched him. And Tyson Granger, no less.

"Don't..." Tyson bit his lip, pushing Kai to one side as he stood up. "Don't you dare call my mother that!"

"HA! I'll call that woman anything I want!" He took a metal pole from the side, and began swinging it in front of him blindly. He made a move to bring the pole down on Tyson's head but Kai lunged forward and grabbed his arms.

"Don't!"

"Let me go!" Voltaire laughed once again, seeing nothing at all. "Don't you dare touch me!" He pushed Kai to the side forcefully, ending in the boy landing on the floor harshly. Voltaire turned to his grandson, before raising the pole once again. This time, Tyson was the one who shielded the other boy, wrapping his arms around Kai's own crumpled form.

"Tyson!"

"Kai..." Tyson choked out, his voice cracking as Voltaire continued to blindly bang the pole down on his back. _ Damnit, it hurts. _"I know... you... were the one... my mother told me so much about..."

"Tyson?"

"I... am really happy that I managed to find you, and I..."

"Tyson, stop talking, Tyson! VOLTAIRE, STOP IT!" Kai frantically looked left and right, panic surging in him.

"I..."

"Tyson, don't talk... Don't worry... Just don't talk..."

"I..." Tyson closed his eyes, feeling consciousness crawl away from him. Then oblivion.

_Love you._

* * *

**KK: **Please, someone shoot me now. Okay, I'm beyond the point of being forgiven, am I? XD First, I don't update for more than a month then when I **do **update, the chapter that I upload is a crappy jumble of words and punctuation marks. But lemme tell yah... this chapter was a real bitch to write. -pouts- The next chapter will probably the last one. -sweat drops- I'm not yet sure if I'm going to separate the epilogue or just put in the next chapter as well. Or no epilogue at all. Any ideas:3

oh, and I **know** the last part sucked. Whenever I reread it, I cry in anguish... or something like that. -sweatdrop- T.T

Please be nice to me! XD I give out cookies!


	18. chapter 18

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 18 -**

Heart-wrenching screams echoed throughout the room and resounded from the walls, a series of cruel laughter following soon after. Then the screams returned, this time more louder than the last, then the same laughter yet again. And again. And again. And the cycle repeated, until the one screaming bit his lower lip, then a few seconds later, a thin trickle of blood dripped down his chin from his lip. He wasn't going to give the other pleasure of hearing him scream anymore.

In the middle of the room, hung by his wrists by chains that clanked hollowly and feet a few inches away from the floor, was a boy with his upper body bare of shirt, but covered by bleeding gashes. And another figure stood behind him, his throat grumbling with suppressed laughter as he surveyed his masterpiece. Then lastly, a third figure, far away at the very side of the room, was another boy, navy blue hair messily cast around his head like a puddle on the floor, his body crumpled as he slept. The side of his face was covered in blood as well, from the metal pipe that was used to hit his head, yet he continued to slumber, somehow relieved that he could finally rest, but still disturbed because of _something, something he knew yet did not._ And so he slept.

And Kai whimpered and closed his eyes, and willed his tears away as a crack resounded in the room, because he knew what was coming. He was still caught off-guard however, and instead of his lip, bit his tongue instead. The metallic taste of blood never left his mouth.

Voltaire laughed, a cruel, hollow laugh that would have sent shivers down Kai's spine had he not lived with that laugh all his life. Then the man raised his whip yet again, and with another crack, gave another touch to his work. Then he spoke, his voice mocking with venom, "Kai, first you scream, and now you're sniffing and crying. Such childish behavior! You were not like that before. See what that Granger kid has done to you? He is a bad influence! I simply cannot see why you choose to tag along that boy like a lost little puppy! That bastard of a child does not --"

"Don't call Tyson a bastard!" Kai raged, his voice husky with overuse, yet despite that, his tone of voice was enough to make Voltaire pause and look at him. And so, with a glare that would killed his grandfather if looks could kill, he continued, "If anyone -- anyone at all in this world -- deserves to be called a bastard, it would be you."

That earned him another series of slashes.

"See, Kai! I have fed you, educated you. I have done everything for you! Yet you refuse to show thanks! You would have not dared to answer me in that... insulting way if you had not met Tyson Granger!" He spat the syllables of the name with dripping venom, "It was a mistake to have sent you to that school! A mistake!" Then Voltaire stomped his feet in anger, gave one last slash at Kai before marching for Tyson's body. "It's this boy's fault! All his fault! He must pay for what he has done!"

At that, fear gripped Kai's heart as he watched helplessly as his grandfather walked near the other boy. "No! Voltaire! Don't hurt him! He's done nothing! Nothing!" Voltaire kept on walking. "No! NO! DAMNIT, DON'T GO FUCKING NEAR HIM!" It's as if the man's pace went even faster. "PLEASE! Please..." Kai mumbled, his throat aching and his will slowly fading away. "Grandfather..."

Then, Voltaire stopped walking and laughed. And laughed. And laughed. And when he turned to look at Kai, his face showed an expression of insanity that it was the first time that Kai truly felt afraid. The man's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, and his mouth was opened wide in a mad smile. His hand gripped the whip tightly, as he spoke, his tone desperate but at the same time joyful. "There's nothing you can do, Kai. You're too late for that now! No more grandfather! No more grandson! You're not Kai Hiwatari. YOU'RE NOT MY GRANDSON." And he walked.

And Kai screamed, tugging at the chains furiously, like a wild animal being caged for the first time. "VOLTAIRE! I SWEAR, IF YOU TOUCH HIM, I WILL PERSONALLY KILL YOU!"

And Voltaire giggled, then cackled, as he finally reached his destination. He stood over the body for a few minutes, wondering if the whip would be enough to let that _Granger_ receive what he deserved. Then he looked around, but found nothing else, and the metal pipe was useless, thus he decided that he would be loyal to his whip for today. So he raised his hand, and as another crack echoed through the room as the whip slashed through the air, the chains holding Kai's wrists broke and Kai ran, and the whip met his back once again for the umpteenth time that night.

"YOU! You have caused enough trouble, Kai! Get out! Get out of the way! GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!" Voltaire screamed, uttering a colorful string of curses as he kicked the bloodied body once, twice, thrice, for Kai had threw his arms around Tyson's figure, holding him close and crying his fear out, his tears falling freely for the first time in a very long time.

Then Voltaire raised his whip and slashed, and Kai cried, hoping Tyson would wake up, but at the same time, hoping that he would stay asleep so that he would never see a scene such as this.

"Tyson... Tyson... I'm sorry. I haven't been able to protect you properly. But I will, this time. I promise. Tyson, I promise." Kai took a deep breath then continued, his voice merely a whisper, and his words jumping every time another slash was added to his back. Then his vision dimmed and he panicked, "Tyson, do you hear me? I'll protect you. I will. I promise I will." His voice sounded desperate now, he didn't know why he was desperate.

Maybe... Maybe it was because to protect Tyson means paying Mrs. Granger back. For all the kindness she's shown him. For all the sacrifices she took for him. For everything.

But...

Kai knew it wasn't that.

It was because...

_Tyson, do you hear me? Tyson?_

"TYSON! KAI!"

Whose voice was that? Who's that? Why did the slashes stop? Why did the laughing stop? Whose voice was that? What was his name again? Kenny, was it?

Kai closed his eyes.

_Tyson, do you hear me?_

_I love you._

* * *

"Tyson? Wake up, Tyson... Tyson?" No response. "Tyson? Tyson! TYSON, WAKE UP!" Nothing.

Max sighed, slumping back in the chair beside Tyson's hospital bed sulkily with a pout. He looked at Rei with an apologetic expression and a sheepish smile, "He won't wake up. You know him."

Rei laughed, scratching the back of his head. "I guess we should just give up. Besides, we're not allowed to disturb him in the first place." He winked at the blonde, who snickered, remembering how they had escaped the nurse who tried to lecture them about visitors and patients. They hoped that the nurse loved the 'Hey-look-it's-Mickey-Mouse' trick. She was actually stupid enough to have fallen for that. Poor girl.

Max stood up and stretched, jumping a bit just to stop the strain in his muscles for sitting in the room for three hours already. "It's so boring, though. Tyson won't wake up, so nothing's eventful, really."

"Speaking of eventful..." Rei mused loudly, this time looking serious, "How's Kai?"

Max paused, "I think Chief told us that Kai was alright too, still sleeping as well. But he's gonna be in the hospital for weeks or months, probably. And he'll be sent somewhere where people will teach him to get over his trauma or what. After that, he may be sent to an orphanage."

"Well, he **is** still underage." The neko-jin stated, before sighing sadly, "I don't want him to end up in an orphanage. I don't think Kai would like to be taught to _get over his trauma _as well."

"Me, too." The blonde frowned, "I wish we could do something for him, though. After all this, Tyson wouldn't want to be separated from the guy, too. And you know Ty... He's gonna do everything to get what he wants."

Rei smiled slightly, "Better be ready for some chaos, huh?"

"You bet."

"GUYS!" Suddenly, the door opened, and collided with the wall loudly, and although Rei and Max winced at the noise, Tyson didn't barely did so much such as flinch. Kenny ran in the room, clutching his shirt where his heart was and panting loudly. "Kai -- I went to check up on him and -- Kai -- he's..."

"Chief? What? What happened?"

Kenny cast them a panicked look, "I can't find Kai anywhere!"

* * *

Kai walked through the empty hallway, the tapping of his bare feet on the ground echoing through the walls. He reached the second to the last room and paused, his hand hovering above the handle of the door. Then he sighed, and put down his hand, and cursed himself for being a coward. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, but paused as his hand passed over the smooth texture of the bandage around his head, and he closed his eyes, and remembered the image of the metal pipe connecting with Tyson's head again and again. So he grabbed the handle and pushed.

Once inside, the first thing he saw was Voltaire's sleeping body in the middle of the room covered in white cloth with only the head out in the open air. His wrists were handcuffed to the sides of the bed, courtesy of the policemen who arrested him. The handcuffs followed him from his mansion to the hospital, because he simply refused to sit and stay still for even just a few minutes. At first, the doctors and nurses who were in charge of him were patient, for they were taught to be patient with their patients, but even they got annoyed and injected him with medicine to make him sleep.

The next thing Kai saw was a small rectangular machine at the side of the bed, the screen showing green zigzags upwards, downwards, upwards then downwards. Then connected to another machine were the paddles, two of them side by side, looking so harmless. And somewhere in the room, Kai spotted a clean, white cloth. So pure.

So he grabbed the cloth and returned back to the bed, and implanting the image of the metal pipe to his mind, he gazed coldly at Voltaire's solid face for the last time and with the cloth in hand, he forced open the man's mouth and shoved the white cloth in it.

Voltaire's eyes snapped open.

Kai glared straight in his eyes. "You are not my grandfather." And grabbing the paddles, he rubbed them together, savoring the sweet image of Voltaire writhing and trashing in front of him madly, his arms pulling at the handcuffs, his feet flailing wildly in the air and the bed rocking back and forth, side to side. The man's voice going up his throat, but not coming out of his mouth. His tongue effortlessly tried to push the cloth away, but to no use. Then Kai remembered the times when he would be the one writhing, shaking and trembling, and so he enjoyed the fear evident in Voltaire's face. It was a first, and he took great pleasure in it immensely.

Then he lowered the paddles, and settled both of them parallel on the man's chest. And pushed.

Voltaire's body jumped as his eyes widened so much that it looked as if they were about to jump out of their sockets. He tried to scream, but ended up choking himself in the process. So he waited in pain as his body stopped lapsing, and stared fearfully at Kai, and wondered just how much their roles have changed.

"That one was for me." Kai spoke, his voice a whisper, but he made sure Voltaire heard it. He didn't know if he was guilty or not, if he was supposed to be guilty or not, but he wanted to do this, and now that he'd started it, he wanted to finish it.

"This..." He continued, placing the paddles at the same position as before, and pushed. "one is for Mrs. Granger."

Voltaire's body shook for the second time, his body jumping off the bed slightly, then limping as it touched the mattress. Electricity worked through his veins, his whole body felt like shaking, but at the same time not. He felt pain, but then again, he felt numb. He tried to scream yet again, but proceeded to choke himself further.

"Don't worry." Kai spoke, malice and sarcasm in his voice. "This kind of thing must run in the family. Aren't you proud?" He remembered the night a few days ago, when he was crying and screaming and wondered if he should be embarrassed. Then he shook his head, and continued, "This will be the last one, because..."

"This," He lowered the paddles, and Voltaire shook his head from side to side, fear and panic gripping his heart and the only thing in his mind was death. He spoke against the cloth, but his words were absorbed, and muffled cries were heard throughout the room, but Kai closed his hearing as he pushed for the last time. "Is for Tyson."

Voltaire's body jumped again, then continued on shaking uncontrollably, because unlike before when Kai put the paddles, he immediately pulled it up again, but this time, he kept the paddles on the man's chest. And so Voltaire let out a muffled scream followed by a spasm, his body jumping and his voice once again going up his throat but unable to get out of his mouth. And he screamed, and screamed, and the cloth chocked him further, and by the time Kai raised the paddles, Voltaire was dead.

And so Kai closed the man's eyes, returned the cloth to where it was, returned the paddles to their original positions and left the room without a word.

* * *

"Kai!" Kenny rushed over to him with a relieved smile, panting as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, "We were so worried! What are you doing out here! You're supposed to be resting! With your wounds and all, I'm surprised you can even stand up!"

At that, Kai looked at him weirdly, then shook his head, remembering that the Chief doesn't know, though he expected that everyone would have known by now, he thought bitterly. His whole life lived in low profile, but now, so much for low profile. He nodded gratefully at Kenny, before walking pass him to show that he wanted to return to his room.

Kenny, however, followed and began checking his notebook, "Kai, do you know what happens now?"

"Yes." Kai closed his eyes and shrugged, "This is where everything ends." And he walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Kenny behind.

He escaped Voltaire, earned freedom finally after all those years of torture. But he entered a new kind of cage by killing a man, and somehow, sooner or later, the authorities would know and hunt him down. Though Kai didn't care for that, what plagued him the most was that: _Tyson wouldn't want to be with a murderer._

And he didn't need to ask, the conflict in Hokkaido was enough to give him proof.

He was the grandson of a murderer, and now he is a murderer. Voltaire's dead, now it's his turn. He didn't really need to kill himself, he was already dead a long time ago, but when Tyson came, he just managed to hold on the brink of death because Tyson was there, but now...

_This is where everything ends._

* * *

**KK:** Okay, I can tell this is going to be one lengthy author's note, so I apologize. First of all, I want to say I'm sorry for having all of you wait for freaking 3 months. More than 3 months, actually. As you can tell, our internet got cut, our computer crashed, our computer was fixed, then crashed again and we were told that it's really, really dead. -stabs- and sooo... We've been using dad's laptop every time he brings it home on weekends, but it doesn't have internet. Just recently we managed to connect to the internet using this laptop. XD And now dad brings it home every day, so yeah...

I can't write properly on paper, I mean, if I write a story in paper, it usually sucks, so I waited until there was a computer. I have to admit that I was mostly lazy, really, for those three months. -hides- I didn't even get to greet all of you Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Valentines, so... uh... belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Valentines Day. XD And another reason was I'm graduating in March 31! -insert cheering here- Yay for me. o.O

Okay, enough of me, here's a few notes for this chapter: I hope you're all happy with the length of this chappie, because I understand the last one was short. :3 I think the first part was exaggerated... but I like it, nonetheless. XD And I hope you understood what I tried to say with the paddles thing... I wasn't sure what to call it, paddles or panels. And I have to admit, the paddles thing was not my idea. I just can't remember whose story it was that I read, but it was a Gundam Wing one. I included the cloth, because I didn't know if the paddles thing could kill you, so it's up to your imagination which got Voltaire killed. The paddles or by suffocation.

And yes, I told you that this was going to be the last chapter, but I couldn't resist. I wanted one more cliff-hanger. 3 Don't worry, I'll make sure I post the next chapter up soon. -glomps each and every one reviewer- I wouldn't have made this far without you! Please review!


	19. chapter 19

**Smile For Me  
- chapter 19 -**

"Chief?"

Kenny's head shot up in surprise, and tears welled up in his eyes as he practically threw himself at the hospital bed where Tyson sat, awake and well. "Tyson! You're awake! I can't believe it, you're actually awake!" Rei and Max laughed at his reaction, but they themselves were the same just a few minutes ago.

Tyson grinned, happily patting his friends back as the chief continued to sob and whine loudly. "Yup, alive and kickin', Chief. A bit beat up, but you know me, I'll recover." He winked, and waited until Kenny finally de-attached himself from him. He looked around, and asked the question that has been plaguing his mind from the very first second he woke. "Where's Kai?"

"I found him." Kenny spoke abruptly, nodding at Rei and Max, who were both informed that Kai was missing. "I think he's back in his room next door, but I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Rei raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. There was something troubling in how Kenny spoke that last sentence, and obviously, Rei didn't like it.

"Well... A particular thing that he said struck me." Kenny shrugged, adjusting his eyeglasses, aware of how heavy Tyson's stare was on him. "He said, 'This is where everything ends.'."

And in a blue blur, Tyson was up in his bed, and out the door, the wires attached on him abruptly cut off and they lay hanging absently. Kenny, Rei and Max, however, just stood there dumbfounded, but they didn't make a move to follow. They knew better.

* * *

Tyson slammed open Kai's door, and was relieved when he saw the boy lying on the bed, absent-mindedly staring at the ceiling. He grabbed his shirt where his heart was, and breathed heavily a few times before he stepped forward. He didn't know why, and it was foolish really, but he felt a bit shy about talking to Kai right now. What was there to be shy about? Even though they've only been together for a short period of time, they have already went through a lot. What was there to be shy about?

His cheeks turned crimson at that. Maybe it was because of his new revelation. At that time he went unconscious. _I love you._ But he shook his head, and looked straight, closing the door in the process as he walked near the bed, where Kai looked as if he didn't know there was someone else in the room. So when Tyson walked even closer, his eyes squinted, he bit his lip, and his hand twitched. There was something wrong.

And he looked at the transparent wire, the one who was supposedly injecting liquefied food and water, and his eyes widened as he found another liquid within it, a green one, and he watched as it spread, until the whole thing was now colored green. And in the bedside table was an injection halfway empty, with a tape around it with the words: **"Not to be drank, inserted or injected."**

And he knew exactly what had happened, and he panicked, running towards the bed, and screaming at Kai's face, although he didn't know what he was screaming about. He tore off the wire from Kai's skin, not caring if the other let out a surprised yelp, and Tyson cursed as he saw green liquid as well as blood oozing off from where the wire was attached.

"Tyson." Kai spoke, his voice rough and strained, as he tried to sit up with Tyson clutching his arm. "What the hell did you do?"

"I just saved your life, you asshole." Tyson mumbled under his breath, and for a moment, Kai paused and stopped breathing altogether as he watched the tears falling down the other's face. "Look here, damnit." Tyson let out a shaky breath. "I try to save your life from that Voltaire, and I practically die myself just to set you free, and when everything's finally finished, and we're _safe_, I see you here, lying in the bed, just waiting... just _waiting_, damnit, for death to take you. You tried to kill yourself, Kai! You tried to end your life, while I fuckingly, _painstakingly _tried to save it. Can't I at least get a thanks, damnit! And you dying is **not** a fucking thank you."

"You don't get it." Kai shook his head, his voice a mere whisper, but the straining was still there. He didn't protest when Tyson took his blanket, and began tending to his arm, and though he spoke softly, he knew the other heard him clearly. "You saved my life, Tyson. Thank you. I can't even begin to say just how much I'm grateful to you, just how much I owe you. You saved me because you knew that I was worth it. Nobody really saw me as that, so I was really happy, that I started fighting for myself too." He paused, not sure if he wanted to say the next part. He wanted to stay with Tyson forever, and if he lied now, he could, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself. "But right now, Tyson, my life's not worth it anymore. I killed Voltaire." He cringed inwardly when Tyson's whole body stiffened, and the tending to his arm stopped, yet he continued. "A life for a life. I killed Voltaire, and now, it's just right that I die as well."

And they stayed in that position for minutes, Kai sitting up with Tyson standing beside him, clutching his arm tightly. Nobody moved or spoke, until Kai tugged his arm back. "I'm sorry, Tyson." He went off the bed, nodding with respect as Tyson moved back without a single sound. Every image of happiness disappeared in his mind, every image of him and Tyson doing everything together was gone, and he knew that there was really nothing much left to live for, now that Tyson knew. He grabbed the injection, and raised it, but was surprised when something slapped his hand, sending the injection to the far side of the room, and was even more shocked as a patch of searing pain appeared in his lower jaw, and he fell back on the floor, with his back painfully shoved against the wall..

Tyson just punched him.

"Don't you just get it!" Tyson screamed, his tears falling again as he rubbed his fist after the punch. "I thought I made myself clear, damnit." He walked closer to Kai's form, kneeling to grab hold of the other's collar. "You are not going to die, and I'm not going to let you. You already died, Kai, back in those years that Voltaire was still using you. You said a life for a life. He killed you, and you killed him. Now you're even. The difference is that you're the only one who got reincarnated." He let out another shaky breath, and this time, looked in Kai's eyes unblinking. "I won't lose you, Kai, I swear I won't."

"Tyson." Kai reached out, his arm resting on Tyson's shoulder as his lips twitched up slightly, "Even if I live, you're going to hate me forever. I just did what my grandfather did to your mother. Why would you want to let me live?"

And that earned him a slap, and a shake by the collar, that he expected and accepted, but what happened next was beyond what he ever thought would happen.

Tyson kissed him.

Tyson kissed him hard and full on the lips, their teeth clashing once, and soon after, Kai found himself kissing back, their mouths resting again each other harshly, as if it was in the middle of that kiss was all their anger and stress. They bit and shoved, and sucked in that one kiss, until Tyson broke away, breathing heavily and crying, his tears falling and his body racking with sobs. He hugged Kai tightly, his face buried in the other's shirt as he screamed and mumbled incoherent words, but that didn't mean anything at all, because to him, all that mattered was Kai's own arms around him as well.

"I don't want you to die, Kai." Tyson cried, his voice slightly hitching, "I love you too much... I want to see you be with me, I want to see you happy with me, I want to see you cry with me, I want to see you _smile for me_... That's why..."

And Kai nodded and understood, and hugged him even tighter, burying his face in Tyson's locks, as he himself closed his eyes and cried.

* * *

**Epilogue**

"Hurry up, Tyson, we're going to be late!" Kai leaned absently against the door frame, looking out to the garden where Tyson's shrine of his mother was. It's been months since the Voltaire incident ended, and though no one really knows how Voltaire died, Kai knew that everything was finally done and over with. It was stated in his father and mother's will that if Voltaire was to die, the inheritance of the Hiwatari family would be placed down on him. Kai accepted with a whole heart, but chose to live in Tyson's dojo with the boy's grandfather, who was more than happy to accept him. He thought of selling the mansion, but thought of the maids and butlers who was still happy to work there, now that Voltaire was gone, so even though Kai didn't live there, he trusted the servants enough to keep the place clean and well.

It would only take a few years until Kai was legal enough to live in the Granger household fully, and until then, they could still manage to hide from the government, as Mr. Granger so loudly and drunkenly said so. So far, everything was normal. Tyson, Kai, Rei, Max and the Chief were all back in school, with Kiresu, Fukiko and Mirato happily scolding them when they forgot a homework. Sure, the incident was brought up once in a while, but that was life.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Tyson squeaked, jumping down the stairs with one foot as he tried to put a sock on the other. "I woke up late! Stupid alarm clock doesn't work! Sorry!" And he continued to apologize, until he finally looked at Kai's face, and stopped. He didn't know if his heart beat faster or stopped beating altogether, because Kai smiled that smile that made Tyson knew that everything that happened was all worth it in the end.

"S'alright. If we run, we can still manage to get to the school on time."

And so Tyson nodded in a dumbfounded way, as they walked to the front door of the dojo. "Hey, Kai."

"Hm?"

"Why are you so happy today?"

"Just because."

"Oh."

And that was it, their conversation ended just like that, and they walked to their school together, not minding the time at all, their hands clasped tightly, and with smiles on their faces.

**- owari -**

* * *

**KK: **Before I start, I want everyone to know what I'm very grateful to everyone who has read this story, and to those who have reviewed, because you certainly made this story worthwhile. I really had a fun time with this one, and I hope all of you enjoyed it as well. : 3 Seriously, you guys just don't know how happy I am just how far this fic has come. And though Smile For Me comes to an end, we all know that this isn't the end of the TyKa fandom. XD

Well, thank you, and let's meet again in another fic! My love to each and everyone of you! -hugs-


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